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HAfi  Z'33 
M\J  -4  ft 
i am 

m 

OCT  2  319 
OCT  919/ 

i 

R  7  -  1966 

14685-S 

THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 


The 

Story  of  Burnt  Njal 


From  the  Icelandic  of  the 
Njals  Saga 


By  the  late 

Sir  George  Webbe  Dasent,  D.C.L. 


With  a  Prefatory  Note,  and  the  Introduction,  Abridged, 
from  the  Original  Edition  of  1861 


London 
Grant  Richards 
1900 


The  design  of  the  cover,  made  by  the  late  James  Drummond, 
R.S.A.,  combines  the  chief  weapons  mentioned  in  The  Story 
of  Burnt  Njal :  Gunnar's  bill,  Skarphedinris  axe,  and  Karis 
sword,  bound  together  by  one  of  the  great  silver  rings 
found  in  a  Viking 's  hoard  in  Orkney. 


\ 


PREFATORY  NOTE  TO  THE 
ONE- VOLUME  EDITION. 


Sir  George  Dasent's  translation  of  the  Njals  Saga,  under 
the  title  The  Story  of  Burnt  Njal,  which  is  reprinted  in  this 
volume,  was  published  by  Messrs.  Edmonston  Douglas 
in  1861.  That  edition  was  in  two  volumes,  and  was  fur- 
nished  by  the  author  with  maps  and  plans ;  with  a  lengthy 
introduction  dealing  with  Iceland's  history,  religion  and 
social  life;  with  an  appendix  and  an  exhaustive  index. 
Copies  of  this  edition  can  still  be  obtained  from  Mr.  David 
Douglas  of  Edinburgh. 

The  present  reprint  has  been  prepared  in  order  that  this 
incomparable  Saga  may  become  accessible  to  those  readers 
with  whom  a  good  story  is  the  first  consideration,  and  its 
bearing  upon  a  nations  history  a  secondary  one — or  is  not 
considered  at  all.  For  Burnt  Njal  may  be  approached 
either  as  a  historical  document,  or  as  a  pure  narrative  of 
elemental  natures,  of  strong  passions,  and  of  heroic  feats  of 
strength.    Some  of  the  best  fighting  in  literature  is  to  be 

found  between  its  covers.  Sir  George  Dasenfs  version  in 
its  capacity  as  a  learned  work  for  the  study  has  had  nearly 

forty  years  of  Vfe;  it  is  now  offered  afresh  simply  as  a 
brave  story  for  men  who  have  been  boys  and  for  boys  who 
are  going  to  be  men. 

We  lay  down  the  book  at  the  end  having  added  to  our 
store  of  good  memories  the  record  of  great  deeds  and  great 
hearts,  and  to  our  gallery  of  heroes  strong  and  admirable 
men  worthy  to  stand  beside  the  strong  and  admirable  men 
of  the  Iliad — Gunnar  of  Li  thend  and  Skarphedinn  ,  Njal  and 
Kari,  Helgi  and  Kolskegg,  beside  Telamonian  Aias  and 
Patroclus,  Achilles  and  Hector,  Ulysses  and  Idomeneus. 


viii 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


In  two  respects  these  Icelanders  win  more  of  our  sympathy 
than  the  Greeks  and  Trojans ;  for  they,  like  ourselves,  are 
of  Northern  blood,  and  in  their  mighty  strivings  are  un- 
assisted by  the  gods. 

In  the  present  volume  Sir  George  Dasenfs  preface  has 
been  shortened,  and  his  introduction,  which  everyone  who 
is  interested  in  old  Icelandic  life  and  history  should  make 
a  point  of  reading  in  the  original  edition,  has  been  consider- 
ably abridged.  The  three  appendices,  treating  of  the 
Vikings,  Queen  Gunnhillda,  and  money  and  currency  in  the 
tenth  century,  have  been  also  exised,  and  with  them  the 
index.  There  remains  the  Saga  itself  ( not  a  word  of  Sir 
George  Dasenfs  simple,  forcible,  clean  prose  having  been 
touched),  with  sufficient  introductory  matter  to  assist  the 
reader  to  its  fuller  appreciation. 

Sir  George  Webbe  Dasent,  D.C.L.,  the  translator  of  the 
Njals  Saga,  was  born  in  1817  at  St.  Vincent  in  the  West 
Indies,  of  which  island  his  father  was  Attorney -General, 
He  was  educated  at  W estminster  School,  and  at  Magdalen 
Hall,  Oxford,  where  he  was  distinguished  both  as  a  fine 
athlete  and  a  good  classic.  He  took  his  degree  in  1840, 
and  on  coming  to  London  showed  an  early  tendency  towards 
literature  and  literary  society.  The  Sterlings  were  con- 
nected with  the  island  of  St.  Vincent,  and  as  Dasent  and 
John  Sterling  became  close  Jriends,  he  was  a  constant  guest 
at  Captain  Sterling's  house  in  K night sbridge,  which  was 
frequented  by  many  who  afterwards  rose  to  eminence  in  the 
world  of  letters,  including  Carlyle,  to  whom  Dasent  dedicated 
his  first  book.  Dasenfs  appointment  in  1842  as  private 
secretary  to  Sir  James  Cartwright,  the  British  Envoy  to 
the  court  of  Sweden,  took  him  to  Stockholm,  inhere  under 
the  advice  of  Jacob  Grimm,  whom  he  had  met  in  Denmark, 
he  began  that  study  of  Scandinavian  literature  which  has 
enriched  English  literature  by  the  present  work,  and  by  the 
Norse  Tales,  Gisli  the  Outlaw,  and  other  valuable  trans- 
lations and  memoirs.  On  settling  in  London  again  in  1845 
he  joined  the  Times  staff'  as  assistant  editor  to  the  great 
Delane,  who  had  been  his  friend  at  Oxford,  and  whose 
sister  he  married  in  the  following  year.  Dasent  retained 
the  post  during  the  paper's  most  brilliant  period.  In 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


ix 


1870  Mr,  Gladstone  offered  him  a  Civil  Service  Commis- 
sionership,  which  he  accepted  and  held  until  his  retirement 
in  1892,  at  which  time  he  was  the  Commission's  official 
head.  He  was  knighted  "for  public  services"  in  1876, 
having  been  created  a  knight  of  the  Danish  order  of  the 
Dannebrog  many  years  earlier. 

In  addition  to  his  Scandinavian  work,  Sir  George  Dasent 
wrote  several  novels,  of  which  The  Annals  of  an  Eventful 
Life  was  at  once  the  most  popular  and  the  best.  He  died 
greatly  respected  in  1896. 


E.  V.  LUCAS. 


i 


•  ■ 


SIR  GEORGE  DASENT'S  PREFACE. 


(Abridged.) 


What  is  a  Saga  ?  A  Saga  is  a  story,  or  telling  in  prose, 
sometimes  mixed  with  verse.  There  are  many  kinds  of 
Sagas,  of  all  degrees  of  truth.  There  are  the  mythical 
Sagas,  in  which  the  wondrous  deeds  of  heroes  of  old  time, 
half  gods  and  half  men,  as  Sigurd  and  Ragnar,  are  told  as 
they  were  handed  down  from  father  to  son  in  the  traditions 
of  the  Northern  race.  Then  there  are  Sagas  recounting 
the  history  of  the  kings  of  Norway  and  other  countries, 
of  the  great  line  of  Orkney  Jarls,  and  of  the  chiefs  who 
ruled  in  Faroe.  These  are  all  more  or  less  trustworthy, 
and,  in  general,  far  worthier  of  belief  than  much  that 
passes  for  the  early  history  of  other  races,  y  Again,  there 
are  Sagas  relating  to  Iceland,  narrating  7tlie  lives,  and 
feuds,  and  ends  of  mighty  chiefs,  the  heads  of  the  great 
families  which  dwelt  in  this  or  that  district  of  the  island. 
These  were  told  by  men  who  lived  on  the  very  spot,  and 
told  with  a  minuteness  and  exactness,  as  to  time  and 
place,  that  will  bear  the  strictest  examination.  Such  a 
Saga  is  that  of  Njal,  which  we  now  lay  before  our  readers 
in  an  English  garb.  Of  all  the  Sagas  relating  to  Iceland, 
this  tragic  story  bears  away  the  palm  for  truthfulness 
and  beauty.  To  use  the  words  of  one  well  qualified  to 
judge,  it  is,  as  compared  with  all  similar  compositions, 
as  gold  to  brass.1    Like  all  the  Sagas  which  relate  to 


1  Gufrbrandr  Vigfusson. 


xii 


DASENT'S  PREFACE. 


the  same  period  of  Icelandic  story,  Njala  1  was  not  written 
down  till  about  100  years  after  the  events  which  are 
described  in  it  had  happened.  In  the  meantime,  it  was 
handed  down  by  word  of  mouth,  told  from  Althing  to 
Althing,  at  Spring  Thing,  and  Autumn  Leet,  at  all 
great  gatherings  of  the  people,  and  over  many  a  fireside, 
on  sea  strand  or  river  bank,  or  up  among  the  dales  and 
hills,  by  men  who  had  learnt  the  sad  story  of  Njal's 
fate,  and  who  could  tell  of  Gunnar's  peerlessness  and 
Hallgerda's  infamy,  of  Bergthora's  helpfulness,  of  Skarp- 
hedinn's  hastiness,  of  Flosi's  foul  deed,  and  Kari's  stern 
revenge.  We  may  be  sure  that  as  soon  as  each  event 
recorded  in  the  Saga  occurred,  it  was  told  and  talked 
about  as  matter  of  history,  and  when  at  last  the  whole 
story  was  unfolded  and  took  shape,  and  centred  round 
Njal,  that  it  was  handed  down  from  father  to  son,  as 
truthfully  and  faithfully  as  could  ever  be  the  case  with 
any  public  or  notorious  matter  in  local  history.  But  it  is 
not  on  Njala  alone  that  we  have  to  rely  for  our  evidence 
of  its  genuineness.  There  are  many  other  Sagas  relating 
to  the  same  period,  and  handed  down  in  like  manner,  in 
which  the  actors  in  our  Saga  are  incidentally  mentioned 
by  name,  and  in  which  the  deeds  recorded  of  them  are 
corroborated.  They  are  mentioned  also  in  songs  and 
Annals,  the  latter  being  the  earliest  written  records  which 
belong  to  the  history  of  the  island,  while  the  former  were 
more  easily  remembered,  from  the  construction  of  the 
verse.  Much  passes  for  history  in  other  lands  on  far  slighter 
grounds,  and  many  a  story  in  Thucydides  or  Tacitus, 
or  even  in  Clarendon  or  Hume,  is  believed  on  evidence  not 
one-tenth  part  so  trustworthy  as  that  which  supports  the 
narratives  of  these  Icelandic  story-tellers  of  the  eleventh 
century.  That  with  occurrences  of  undoubted  truth,  and 
minute  particularity  as  to  time  and  place,  as  to  dates  and 
distance,  are  intermingled  wild  superstitions  on  several 
occasions,  will  startle  no  reader  of  the  smallest  judgment. 
All  ages,  our  own  not  excepted,  have  their  superstitions, 

1  This  word  is  invented  like  Laxdaela,  Gretla,  and  others,  to  escape  the 
repetition  of  the  word  Saga,  after  that  of  the  person  or  place  to  which  the  story 
belongs.    It  combines  the  idea  of  the  subject  and  the  telling  in  one  word. 


DASENT'S  PREFACE. 


and  to  suppose  that  a  story  told  in  the  eleventh  century, 
— when  phantoms,  and  ghosts,  and  wraiths,  were  implicitly 
believed  in,  and  when  dreams,  and  warnings,  and  tokens, 
were  part  of  every  man's  creed — should  be  wanting  in 
these  marks  of  genuineness,  is  simply  to  require  that  one 
great  proof  of  its  truthfulness  should  be  wanting,  and 
that,  in  order  to  suit  the  spirit  of  our  age,  it  should  lack 
something  which  was  part  and  parcel  of  popular  belief  in 
the  age  to  which  it  belonged.  To  a  thoughtful  mind, 
therefore,  such  stories  as  that  of  Swan's  witchcraft,  Gun- 
nar's  song  in  his  cairn,  the  W olf 's  ride  before  the  Burning, 
Flosi's  dream,  the  signs  and  tokens  before  Brian's  battle, 
and  even  Njal's  weird  foresight,  on  which  the  whole  story 
hangs,  will  be  regarded  as  proofs  rather  for  than  against 
its  genuineness.1 

But  it  is  an  old  saying,  that  a  story  never  loses  in 
telling,  and  so  we  may  expect  it  must  have  been  with  this 
story.  For  the  facts  which  the  Saga-teller  related  he  was 
bound  to  follow  the  narrations  of  those  who  had  gone 
before  him,  and  if  he  swerved  to  or  fro  in  this  respect, 
public  opinion  and  notorious  fame  was  there  to  check  and 
contradict  him.2  But  the  way  in  which  he  told  the  facts 
was  his  own,  and  thus  it  comes  that  some  Sagas  are  better 
told  than  others,  as  the  feeling  and  power  of  the  narrator 

1  Many  particulars  mentioned  in  the  Saga  as  wonderful  are  no  wonders  to 
us.  Thus  in  the  case  of  Gunnar's  bill,  when  we  are  told  that  it  gave  out  a 
strange  sound  before  great  events,  this  probably  only  means  that  the  shaft  on 
which  it  was  mounted  was  of  some  hard  ringing  wood  unknown  in  the  north. 
It  was  a  foreign  weapon,  and  if  the  shaft  were  of  lance  wood,  the  sounds  it 
gave  out  when  brandished  or  shaken  would  be  accounted  for  at  once  without  a 
miracle. 

2  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  was  considered  a  grave  offence  to  public 
morality  to  tell  a  Saga  untruthfully.  Respect  to  friends  and  enemies  alike, 
when  they  were  dead  and  gone,  demanded  that  the  histories  of  their  lives,  and 
especially  of  their  last  moments,  should  be  told  as  the  events  had  actually 
happened.  Our  own  Saga  affords  a  good  illustration  of  this,  and  shows  at  the 
same  time  how  a  Saga  naturally  arose  out  of  great  events.  When  King  Sig- 
trygg  was  Earl  Sigurd's  guest  at  Yule,  and  Flosi  and  the  other  Burners  were 
about  the  Earl's  court,  the  Irish  king  wished  to  hear  the  story  of  the  Burning, 
and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  was  put  forward  to  tell  it  at  the  feast  on  Christmas 
day.  It  only  added  to  Kari's  grudge  against  him  to  hear  Gunnar  tell  the 
story  with  such  a  false  leaning,  when  he  gave  it  out  that  Skarphedinn  had 
wept  for  fear  of  the  fire,  and  the  vengeance  which  so  speedily  overtook  the 
false  teller  was  looked  upon  as  just  retribution.  But  when  Flosi  took  up  the 
story,  he  told  it  fairly  and  justly  for  both  sides,  "and  therefore,"  says  the 
Saga,  "what  he  said  was  believed". 


xiv 


DASENT'S  PREFACE. 


were  above  those  of  others.  To  tell  a  story  truthfully 
was  what  was  looked  for  from  all  men  in  those  days  ;  but 
to  tell  it  properly  and  gracefully,  and  so  to  clothe  the 
facts  in  fitting  diction,  was  given  to  few,  and  of  those  few 
the  Saga  teller  who  first  threw  Njala  into  its  present  shape, 
was  one  of  the  first  and  foremost. 

With  the  change  of  faith  and  conversion  of  the  Ice- 
landers to  Christianity,  writing,  and  the  materials  for 
writing,  first  came  into  the  land,  about  the  year  1000. 
There  is  no  proof  that  the  earlier  or  Runic  alphabet, 
which  existed  in  heathen  times,  was  ever  used  for  any 
other  purposes  than  those  of  simple  monumental  inscrip- 
tions, or  of  short  legends  on  weapons  or  sacrificial  vessels, 
or  horns  and  drinking  cups.  But  with  the  Roman  alpha- 
bet came  not  only  a  readier  means  of  expressing  thought, 
but  also  a  class  of  men  who  were  wont  thus  to  express 
themselves.  .  .  .  Saga  after  Saga  was  reduced  to  writing, 
and  before  the  year  1200  it  is  reckoned  that  all  the  pieces 
of  that  kind  of  composition  which  relate  to  the  history 
of  Icelanders  previous  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity 
had  passed  from  the  oral  into  the  written  shape.  Of  all 
those  Sagas,  none  were  so  interesting  as  Njal,  whether  as 
regarded  the  length  of  the  story,  the  number  and  rank  of 
the  chiefs  who  appeared  in  it  as  actors,  and  the  graphic 
way  in  which  the  tragic  tale  was  told.  As  a  rounded 
whole,  in  which  each  part  is  finely  and  beautifully  polished, 
in  which  the  two  great  divisions  of  the  story  are  kept  in 
perfect  balance  and  counterpoise,  in  which  each  person 
who  appears  is  left  free  to  speak  in  a  way  which  stamps 
him  with  a  character  of  his  own,  while  all  unite  in  working 
towards  a  common  end,  no  Saga  had  such  claims  on  public 
attention  as  Njala,  and  it  is  certain  none  would  sooner 
have  been  committed  to  writing.  The  latest  period, 
therefore,  that  we  can  assign  as  the  date  at  which  our 
Saga  was  moulded  into  its  present  shape  is  the  year 
1200.  .  .  . 

It  was  a  foster-father's  duty,  in  old  times,  to  rear  and 
cherish  the  child  which  he  had  taken  from  the  arms  of  its 
natural  parents,  his  superiors  in  rank.  And  so  may  this 
work,  which  the  translator  has  taken  from  the  house  of 


DASENT'S  PREFACE. 


xv 


Icelandic  scholars,  his  masters  in  knowledge,  and  which  he 
'has  reared  and  fostered  so  many  years  under  an  English 
roof,  go  forth  and  fight  the  battle  of  life  for  itself,  and  win 
fresh  fame  for  those  who  gave  it  birth.  It  will  be  reward 
enough  for  him  who  has  first  clothed  it  in  an  English 
dress  if  his  foster-child  adds  another  leaf  to  that  evergreen 
wreath  of  glory  which  crowns  the  brows  of  Iceland's 
ancient  worthies. 

Broad  Sanctuary, 

Christmas  Eve,  i860. 


It  will  be  seen  that  in  most  cases  the  names  of  places  throughout  the  Saga 
have  been  turned  into  English,  either  in  whole  or  in  part,  as  "  Lithend  "  for 
"  Lfa^rendi,"  and  "  Bergthorsknoll  "  for  "  Bergthorshv61 ".     The  translator 
adopted  this  course  to  soften  the  ruggedness  of  the  original  names  for  the 
English  reader,  but  in  every  case  the  Icelandic  name,  with  its  English  render- 
ing, will  be  found  in  the  maps.    The  surnames  and  nicknames  have  also  been 
turned  into  English — an  attempt  which  has  not  a  little  increased  the  toil  of 
translation.    Great  allowance  must  be  made  for  these  renderings,  as  those 
nicknames  often  arose  out  of  circumstances  of  which  we  know  little  or  nothing. 
Of  some,  such  as  "  Thorgeir  Craggeir,"  and  "  Thorkel  foulmouth,"  the  Saga 
itself  explains  the  origin.    In  a  state  of  society  where  so  many  men  bore  the 
same  name,  any  circumstance  or  event  in  a  man's  life,  as  well  as  any  peculi- 
arity in  form  or  feature,  or  in  temper  and  turn  of  mind,  gave  rise  to  a  surname 
'  or  nickname,  which  clung  to  him  through  life  as  a  distinguishing  mark.  The 
;  Post  Office  in  the  United  States  is  said  to  give  persons  in  the  same  district, 
v  with  similar  names,  an  initial  of  identification,  which  answers  the  same  purpose 
j  as  the  Icelandic  nickname,  thus  :  "  John  P  Smith," — "  John  Q  Smith".    As  a 
1  general  rule  the  translator  has  withstood  the  temptation  to  use  old  English 
I  words.    "  Busk  "  and  "  boun  "  he  pleads  guilty  to,  because  both  still  linger  in 
jthe  language  understood  by  few.     "  Busk"  is  a  reflective  formed  from  "at 
j  /  bua  sik,"  "to  get  oneself  ready,"  and  "boun"  is  the  past  participle  of  the 
\  active  form  "  bua,  Minn,"  to  get  ready.    When  the  leader  in  Old  Ballads  says — 
"  Busk  ye,  busk  ye, 
My  bonny,  bonny  men," 
j  he  calls  on  his  followers  to  equip  themselves  ;  when  they  are  thus  equipped 
;    they  are  "boun".     A  bride  "busks"  herself  for  the  bridal;  when  she  is 
,  dressed  she  is  "  boun  ".     In  old  times  a  ship  was  "  busked"  for  a  voyage  ; 
\  I  when  she  was  fitted  and  ready  for  sea  she  was  "  boun  " — whence  come  our 
outward  "  bound  "  and  homeward  "  bound  ".    These  with  "  redes  "  for  coun- 
j    sels  or  plans  are  almost  the  only  words  in  the  translation  which  are  not  still  in 
everyday  use. 


b 


♦ 


SIR  GEORGE  DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 

(Abridged). 

The  Northmen  in  Iceland. 

The  men  who  colonized  Iceland  towards  the  end  of  the 
ninth  century  of  the  Christian  sera,  were  of  no  savage  or 
servile  race.  They  fled  from  the  overbearing  power  of  the 
king,  from  that  new  and  strange  doctrine  of  government  put 
forth  by  Harold  Fairhair,  860-933,  which  made  them  the 
king's  men  at  all  times,  instead  of  his  only  at  certain  times 
for  special  service,  which  laid  scatts  and  taxes  on  their 
lands,  which  interfered  with  vested  rights  and  world-old 
laws,  and  allowed  the  monarch  to  meddle  and  make  with 
the  freemen's  allodial  holdings.  As  we  look  at  it  now,  and 
from  another  point  of  view,  we  see  that  what  to  them  was 
unbearable  tyranny  was  really  a  step  in  the  great  march 
of  civilization  and  progress,  and  that  the  centralization  and 
consolidation  of  the  royal  authority,  according  to  Charle- 
magne's system,  was  in  time  to  be  a  blessing  to  the  king- 
doms of  the  north.  But  to  the  freeman  it  was  a  curse. 
He  fought  against  it  as  long  as  he  could;  worsted  over 
and  over  again,  he  renewed  the  struggle,  and  at  last,  when 
the  isolated  efforts,  which  were  the  key-stone  of  his  edifice 
of  liberty,  were  fruitless,  he  sullenly  withdrew  from  the  field, 
and  left  the  land  of  his  fathers,  where,  as  he  thought,  no 
free-born  man  could  now  care  to  live.  Now  it  is  that  we 
hear  of  him  in  Iceland,  where  Ingolf  was  the  first  settler  in 
the  year  874,  and  was  soon  followed  by  many  of  his  country- 
men.   Now,  too,  we  hear  of  him  in  all  lands.    Now  France 


xviii     DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


— now  Italy — now  Spain,  feel  the  fury  of  his  wrath,  and 
the  weight  of  his  arm.  After  a  time,  but  not  until  nearly 
a  century  has  passed,  he  spreads  his  wings  for  a  wider 
flight,  and  takes  service  under  the  great  emperor  at  Byzan- 
tium, or  Micklegarth — the  great  city,  the  town  of  towns — 
and  fights  his  foes  from  whatever  quarter  they  come.  The 
Moslem  in  Sicily  and  Asia,  the  Bulgarians  and  Sclavonians 
on  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea  and  in  Greece,  well  know 
the  temper  of  the  Northern  steel,  which  has  forced  many  of 
their  chosen  champions  to  bite  the  dust.  Wherever  he 
goes  the  Northman  leaves  his  mark,  and  to  this  day  the 
lion  at  the  entrance  to  the  arsenal  at  Venice  is  scored  with 
runes  which  tell  of  his  triumph. 

But  of  all  countries,  what  were  called  the  Western  Lands 
were  his  favourite  haunt.  England,  where  the  Saxons  were 
losing  their  old  dash  and  daring,  and  settling  down  into  a 
sluggish  sensual  race ;  Ireland,  the  flower  of  Celtic  lands, 
in  which  a  system  of  great  age  and  undoubted  civilization 
was  then  fast  falling  to  pieces,  afforded  a  tempting  battle- 
field in  the  everlasting  feuds  between  chief  and  chief; 
Scotland,  where  the  power  of  the  Picts  was  waning,  while 
that  of  the  Scots  had  not  taken  firm  hold  on  the  country, 
and  most  of  all  the  islands  in  the  Scottish  Main,  Orkney, 
Shetland,  and  the  outlying  Faroe  Isles ; — all  these  were  his 
chosen  abode.  In  those  islands  he  took  deep  root,  estab- 
lished himself  on  the  old  system,  shared  in  the  quarrels  of 
the  chiefs  and  princes  of  the  Mainland,  now  helped  Pict  and 
now  Scot,  roved  the  seas  and  made  all  ships  prizes,  and  kept 
alive  his  old  grudge  against  Harold  Fairhair  and  the  new 
system  by  a  long  series  of  piratical  incursions  on  the  Norway 
coast.  So  worrying  did  these  Viking  cruises  at  last  become, 
that  Harold,  who  meantime  had  steadily  pursued  his  policy 
at  home,  and  forced  all  men  to  bow  to  his  sway  or  leave  the 
land,  resolved  to  crush  the  wasps  that  stung  him  summer 
after  summer  in  their  own  nest.  First  of  all  he  sent  Kettle 
flatnose,  a  mighty  chief,  to  subdue  the  foe ;  but  though 
Kettle  waged  successful  war,  he  kept  what  he  won  for  him- 
self. It  was  the  old  story  of  setting  a  thief  to  catch  a  thief ; 
and  Harold  found  that  if  he  was  to  have  his  work  done  to 
his  mind  he  must  do  it  himself.    He  called  on  his  chiefs  to 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


follow  him,  levied  a  mighty  force,  and,  sailing  suddenly 
with  a  fleet  which  must  have  seemed  an  armada  in  those 
days,  he  fell  upon  the  Vikings  in  Orkney  and  Shetland,  in 
the  Hebrides  and  Western  Isles,  in  Man  and  Anglesey,  in 
the  Lewes  and  Faroe — wherever  he  could  find  them  he 
followed  them  up  with  fire  and  sword.  Not  once,  but  twice 
he  crossed  the  sea  after  them,  and  tore  them  out  so  thor- 
oughly, root  and  branch,  that  we  hear  no  more  of  these 
lands  as  a  lair  of  Vikings,  but  as  the  abode  of  Norse  Jarls 
and  their  udallers  (freeholders)  who  look  upon  the  new 
state  of  things  at  home  as  right  and  just,  and  acknowledge 
the  authority  of  Harold  and  his  successors  by  an  allegiance 
more  or  less  dutiful  at  different  times,  but  which  was  never 
afterwards  entirely  thrown  off. 

It  was  just  then,  just  when  the  unflinching  will  of 
Harold  had  taught  this  stern  lesson  to  his  old  foes,  and 
arising  in  most  part  out  of  that  lesson,  that  the  great  rush 
of  settlers  to  Iceland  took  place.  We  have  already  seen 
that  Ingolf  and  others  had  settled  in  Iceland  from  874 
downwards,  but  it  was  not  until  nearly  twenty  years 
afterwards  that  the  island  began  to  be  thickly  peopled. 
More  than  half  of  the  names  of  the  first  colonists  contained 
in  the  venerable  Landnama  Book — the  Book  of  Lots,  the 
Doomsday  of  Iceland,  and  far  livelier  reading  than  that 
of  the  Conqueror — are  those  of  Northmen  who  had  been 
before  settled  in  the  British  Isles.  Our  own  country  then 
was  the  great  stepping-stone  between  Norway  and  Iceland  ;!/ 
and  this  one  fact  is  enough  to  account  for  the  close  con- 
nection which  the  Icelanders  ever  afterwards  kept  up  with 
their  kinsmen  who  had  remainecnSehind  inTEe  islands  of 
the  west.  .  .  . 

Superstitions  of  the  Race. 

The  Northman  had  many  superstitions.  He  believed 
in  good  giants  and  bad  giants,  in  dark  elves  and  bright 
elves,  in  superhuman  beings  who  filled  the  wide  gulf  which 
existed  between  himself  and  the  gods.  He  believed,  too, 
in  wraiths  and  fetches  and  guardian  spirits,  who  followed 
particular  persons,  and  belonged  to  certain  families — a 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


belief  which  seems  to  have  sprung  from  the  habit  of  re- 
garding body  and  soul  as  two  distinct  beings,  which  at 
certain  times  took  each  a  separate  bodily  shape.  Some- 
times the  guardian  spirit  or  fyjgja  took  a  human  shape ; 
at  others  its  form  took  thai  of  some  animal  fancied  to 
foreshadow  the  character  of  the  man  to  whom  it  belonged. 
Thus  it  becomes  a  bear,  a  wolf,  an  ox,  and  even  a  fox,  in 
men.  The  ,fylgjur  of  women  were  fond  of  taking  the 
shape  of  swans.  To  see  one's  own  fylgja  was  unlucky,  and 
often  a  sign  that  a  man  was  "fey,"  or  death-doomed.  So, 
when  Thord  Freedmanson  tells  Njal  that  he  sees  the  goat 
wallowing  in  its  gore  in  the  "town"  of  Bergthorsknoll, 
the  foresighted  man  tells  him  that  he  has  seen  his  own 
fylgja,  and  that  he  must  be  doomed  to  die.  Finer  and 
nobler  natures  often  saw  the  guardian  spirits  of  others. 
Thus  Njal  saw  the  fylgjur  of  Gunnar's  enemies,  which 
gave  him  no  rest  the  livelong  night,  and  his  weird  feeling 
is  soon  confirmed  by  the  news  brought  by  his  shepherd. 
From  the  fylgja  of  the  individual  it  was  easy  to  rise  to 
the  still  more  abstract  notion  of  the  guardian  spirits  of  a 
family,  who  sometimes,  if  a  great  change  in  the  house  is 
about  to  begin,  even  show  themselves  as  hurtful  to  some 
member  of  the  house.  He  believed  also  that  some  men 
had  more  than  one  shape ;  that  they  could  either  take  the 
shapes  of  animals,  as  bears  or  wolves,  and  so  work  mischief ; 
or  that,  without  undergoing  bodily  change,  an  access  of 
rage  and  strength  came  over  them,  and  more  especially 
towards  night,  which  made  them  more  than  a  match  for 
ordinary  men.  Such  men  were  called  hamrammir,  "  shape- 
strong,"  and  it  was  remarked  that  when  the  fit  left  them 
they  were  weaker  than  they  had  been  before. 

This  gift  was  looked  upon  as  something  "  uncanny,"  and 
it  leads  us  at  once  to  another  class  of  men,  whose  super- 
natural strength  was  regarded  as  a  curse  to  the  community. 
These  were  the  Baresarks.  What  the  hamrammir  men 
were  when  they  were  in  their  fits  the  Baresarks  almost 
always  were.  They  are  described  as  being  always  of 
exceeding,  and  when  their  fury  rose  high,  of  superhuman 
strength.  They  too,  like  the  hamrammir  men,  were  very 
tired  when  the  fits  passed  off.    What  led  to  their  fits  is 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION.  xxi 


hard  to  say.  In  the  case  of  the  only  class  of  men  like 
them  nowadays,  that  of  the  Malays  running  a-muck,  the 
intoxicating  fumes  of  bangh  or  arrack  are  said  to  be  the 
cause  of  their  fury.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain,  that 
the  Baresark,  like  his  Malay  brother,  was  looked  upon  as 
a  public  pest,  and  the  mischief  which  they  caused,  relying 
partly  no  doubt  on  their  natural  strength,  and  partly  on 
the  hold  which  the  belief  in  their  supernatural  nature  had 
on  the  mind  of  the  people,  was  such  as  to  render  their 
killing  a  good  work. 

Again,  the  Northman  believed  that  certain  men  were 
"  fast "  or  "  hard  " ;  that  no  weapons  would  touch  them  or 
wound  their  skin ;  that  the  mere  glance  of  some  men's 
eyes  would  turn  the  edge  of  the  best  sword ;  and  that 
some  persons  had  the  power  of  withstanding  poison.  He 
believed  in  omens  and  dreams  and  warnings,  in  signs  and 
wonders  and  tokens ;  he  believed  in  good  luck  and  bad 
luck,  and  that  the  man  on  whom  fortune  smiled  or  frowned 
bore  the  marks  of  her  favour  or  displeasure  on  his  face ; 
he  believed  also  in  magic  and  sorcery,  though  he  loathed 
them  as  unholy  rites.  With  one  of  his  beliefs  our  story 
has  much  to  do,  though  this  was  a  belief  in  good  rather 
than  in  evil.  He  believed  firmly  that  some  men  had  the 
inborn  gift,  not  won  by  any  black  arts,  of  seeing  things 
and  events  beforehand.  He  believed,  in  short,  in  what  is 
called  in  Scotland  "second  sight".  This  was  what  was 
called  being  "  forspar  "  or  "  framsynn,"  "  foretelling  "  and 
"  foresighted  Of  such  men  it  was  said  that  their  "  words 
could  not  be  broken".  Njal  was  one  of  these  men;  one 
of  the  wisest  and  at  the  same  time  most  just  and  honour- 
able of  men.  This  gift  ran  in  families,  for  Helgi  Njal's 
son  had  it,  and  it  was  beyond  a  doubt  one  of  the  deepest- 
rooted  of  all  their  superstitions. 

Social  Principles. 

Besides  his  creed  and  these  beliefs  the  new  settler 
brought  with  him  certain  fixed  social  principles,  which  we 
shall  do  well  to  consider  carefully  in  the  outset.  .  .  .  First 
and  foremost  came  the  father's  right  of  property  in  his 


xxii      DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


children.  This  right  is  common  to  the  infancy  of  all 
communities,  and  exists  before  all  law.  We  seek  it  in  vain 
in  codes  which  belong  to  a  later  period,  but  it  has  left 
traces  of  itself  in  all  codes,  and,  abrogated  in  theory,  still 
often  exists  in  practice.  We  find  it  in  the  Roman  law, 
and  we  find  it  among  the  Northmen.  Thus  it  was  the 
father's  right  to  rear  his  children  or  not  at  his  will.  As 
soon  as  it  was  born,  the  child  was  laid  upon  the  bare 
ground ;  and  until  the  father  came  and  looked  at  it,  heard 
and  saw  that  it  was  strong  in  lung  and  limb,  lifted  it  in 
his  arms,  and  handed  it  over  to  the  women  to  be  reared, 
its  fate  hung  in  the  balance,  and  life  or  death  depended 
on  the  sentence  of  its  sire.  After  it  had  passed  safely 
through  that  ordeal,  it  was  duly  washed,  signed  with 
Thor's  holy  hammer,  and  solemnly  received  into  the  family. 
If  it  were  a  weakly  boy,  and  still  more  often,  if  it  were  a 
girl,  no  matter  whether  she  were  strong  or  weak,  the 
infant  was  exposed  to  die  by  ravening  beasts,  or  the  in- 
clemency of  the  climate.  Many  instances  occur  of  children 
so  exposed,  who,  saved  by  some  kindly  neighbour,  and 
fostered  beneath  a  stranger's  roof,  thus  contracted  ties 
reckoned  still  more  binding  than  blood  itself.  So  long 
as  his  children  remained  under  his  roof,  they  were  their 
father's  own.  When  the  sons  left  the  paternal  roof,  they 
were  emancipated,  and  when  the  daughters  were  married 
they  were  also  free,  but  the  marriage  itself  remained  till 
the  latest  times  a  matter  of  sale  and  barter  in  deed  as 
well  as  name.  The  wife  came  into  the  house,  in  the  patri- 
archal state,  either  stolen  or  bought  from  her  nearest 
male  relations ;  and  though  in  later  times  when  the  sale 
took  place  it  was  softened  by  settling  part  of  the  dower 
and  portion  on  the  wife,  we  shall  do  well  to  bear  in  mind, 
that  originally  dower  was  only  the  price  paid  by  the  suitor 
to  the  father  for  his  good  will ;  while  portion,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  the  sum  paid  by  the  father  to  persuade  a 
suitor  to  take  a  daughter  off  his  hands.  Let  us  remember, 
therefore,  that  in  those  times,  as  Odin  was  supreme  in 
Asgard  as  the  Great  Father  of  Gods  and  men,  so  in  his 
own  house  every  father  of  the  race  that  revered  Odin  was 
also  sovereign  and  supreme. 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION.  xxiii 


In  the  second  place,  as  the  creed  of  the  race  was  one 
that  adored  the  Great  Father  as  the  God  of  Battles  ;  as 
it  was  his  will  that  turned  the  fight ;  nay,  as  that  was 
the  very  way  in  which  he  chose  to  call  his  own  to  himself, 
— it  followed,  that  any  appeal  to  arms  was  looked  upon 
as  an  appeal  to  God.  Victory  was  indeed  the  sign  of  a 
rightful  cause,  and  he  that  won  the  day  remained  behind 
to  enjoy  the  rights  which  he  had  won  in  fair  fight,  but  he 
that  lost  it,  if  he  fell  bravely  and  like  a  man,  if  he  truly 
believed  his  quarrel  just,  and  brought  it  without  guile  to 
the  issue  of  the  sword,  went  by  the  very  manner  of  his 
death  to  a  better  place.  The  Father  of  the  Slain  wanted 
him,  and  he  was  welcomed  by  the  Valkyries,  by  Odin's 
corse-choosers,  to  the  festive  board  in  Valhalla.  In  every 
point  of  view,  therefore,  war  and  battle  was  a  holy  thing, 
and  the  Northman  went  to  the  battlefield  in  the  firm  con- 
viction that  right  would  prevail.  In  modern  times,  while 
we  appeal  in  declarations  of  war  to  the  God  of  Battles, 
we  do  it  with  the  feeling  that  war  is  often  an  unholy 
thing,  and  that  Providence  is  not  always  on  the  side  of 
strong  battalions.  The  Northman  saw  Providence  on 
both  sides.  It  was  good  to  live,  if  one  fought  bravely,  but 
it  was  also  good  to  die,  if  one  fell  bravely.  To  live  bravely 
and  to  die  bravely,  trusting  in  the  God  of  Battles,  was 
the  warrior's  comfortable  creed. 

But  this  feeling  was  also  shown  in  private  life.  When 
two  tribes  or  peoples  rushed  to  war,  there  Odin,  the 
warrior's  god,  was  sure  to  be  busy  in  the  fight,  turning 
the  day  this  way  or  that  at  his  will ;  but  he  was  no  less 
present  in  private  war,  where  in  any  quarrel  man  met 
man  to  claim  or  to  defend  a  right.  There,  too,  he  turned 
the  scale  and  swayed  the  day,  and  there  too  an  appeal  to 
arms  was  regarded  as  an  appeal  to  heaven.  Hence  arose 
another  right  older  than  all  law,  the  right  of  duel — of 
wager  of  battle,  as  the  old  English  law  called  it.  Among 
the  Northmen  it  underlaid  all  their  early  legislation, 
which,  as  we  shall  see.  aimed  rather  at  regulating*  and 

•   T  •  •  •  • 

guiding  it,  by  making  it  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  law, 
than  at  attempting  to  check  at  once  a  custom  which  had 
grown  up  with  the  whole  faith  of  the  people,  and  which 


xxiv     DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


was  regarded  as  a  right  at  once  so  time-honoured  and  so 
holy. 

/  Thirdly,  we  must  never  forget  that,  as  it  is  the  Chris- 
tian's duty  to  forgive  his  foes,  and  to  be  patient  and  long- 
suffering  under  the  most  grievous  wrongs,  so  it  was  the 
heathen's  bounden  duty  to  avenge  all  wrongs,  and  most  of 
all  those  offered  to  blood  relations,  to  his  kith  and  kin,  to 
the  utmost  limit  of  his  power.  Hence  arose  the  constant 
blood-feuds  between  families,  of  which  we  shall  hear  so 
much  in  our  story,  but  which  we  shall  fail  fully  to  under- 
stand, unless  we  keep  in  view,  along  with  this  duty  of 
revenge,  the  right  of  property  which  all  heads  of  houses 
had  in  their  relations.  Out  of  these  twofold  rights,  of  the 
right  of  revenge  and  the  right  of  property,  arose  that 
strange  medley  of  forbearance  and  blood-thirstiness  which 
stamps  the  age.  Revenge  was  a  duty  and  a  right,  but 
property  was  no  less  a  right ;  and  so  it  rested  with  the 
father  of  a  family  either  to  take  revenge,  life  for  life,  or  to 
forego  his  vengeance,  and  take  a  compensation  in  goods 
or  money  for  the  loss  he  had  sustained  in  his  property. 
Out  of  this  latter  view  arose  those  arbitrary  tariffs  for 
wounds  or  loss  of  life,  which  were  gradually  developed 
more  or  less  completely  in  all  the  Teutonic  and  Scandi- 
navian races,  until  every  injury  to  life  or  limb  had  its  pro- 
portionate price,  according  to  the  rank  which  the  injured 
person  bore  in  the  social  scale.  These  tariffs,  settled  by 
the  heads  of  houses,  are,  in  fact,  the  first  elements  of  the 
law  of  nations ;  but  it  must  be  clearly  understood  that  it 
always  rested  with  the  injured  family  either  to  follow  up 
the  quarrel  by  private  war,  or  to  call  on  the  man  who  had 
inflicted  the  injury  to  pay  a  fitting  fine.  If  he  refused, 
the  feud  might  be  followed  up  on  the  battlefield,  in  the 
earliest  times,  or  in  later  days,  either  by  battle  or  by  law. 
Of  the  latter  mode  of  proceeding,  we  shall  have  to  speak 
at  greater  length  farther  on ;  for  the  present,  we  content 
ourselves  with  indicating  these  different  modes  of  settling 
a  quarrel  in  what  we  have  called  the  patriarchal  state. 

A  fourth  great  principle  of  his  nature  was  the  con- 
viction of  the  worthlessness  and  fleeting  nature  of  all 
worldly  goods.    One  thing  alone  was  firm  and  unshaken, 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION.  xxv 


the  stability  of  well-earned  fame.  "  Goods  perish,  friends 
perish,  a  man  himself  perishes,  but  fame  never  dies  to  him 
that  hath  won  it  worthily.'"  "  One  thing  I  know  that 
never  dies,  the  judgment  passed  on  every  mortal  man.'1 
Over  all  man's  life  hung  a  blind,  inexorable  fate,  a  lower 
fold  of  the  same  gloomy  cloud  that  brooded  over  Odin 
and  the  iEsir.  Nothing  could  avert  this  doom.  When 
his  hour  came,  a  man  must  meet  his  death,  and  until  his 
hour  came  he  was  safe.  It  might  strike  in  the  midst  of 
the  highest  happiness,  and  then  nothing  could  avert  the 
evil,  but  until  it  struck  he  would  come  safe  through  the 
direst  peril.  This  fatalism  showed  itself  among  this 
vigorous  pushing  race  in  no  idle  resignation.  On  the 
contrary,  the  Northman  went  boldly  to  meet  the  doom 
which  he  felt  sure  no  effort  of  his  could  turn  aside,  but 
which  he  knew,  if  he  met  it  like  a  man,  would  secure  him 
the  only  lasting  thing  on  earth — a  name  famous  in  song 
and  story.  Fate  must  be  met  then,  but  the  way  in  which 
it  was  met,  that  rested  with  a  man  himself,  that,  at  least, 
was  in  his  own  power  ;  there  he  might  show  his  free  will ; 
and  thus  this  principle,  which  might  seem  at  first  to  be 
calculated  to  blunt  his  energies  and  weaken  his  strength 
of  mind,  really  sharpened  and  hardened  them  in  a  wonder- 
ful way,  for  it  left  it  still  worth  everything  to  a  man  to 
fight  this  stern  battle  of  life  well  and  bravely,  while  its 
blind  inexorable  nature  allowed  no  room  for  any  careful 
weighing  of  chances  or  probabilities,  or  for  any  anxious 
prying  into  the  nature  of  things  doomed  once  for  all  to 
come  to  pass.  To  do  things  like  a  man,  without  looking 
to  the  right  or  left,  as  Kari  acted  when  he  smote  off 
Gunnar's  head  in  Earl  Sigurd's  hall,  was  the  Northman's 
pride.  He  must  do  them  openly  too,  and  show  no  shame 
for  what  he  had  done.  To  kill  a  man  and  say  that  you 
had  killed  him,  was  manslaughter ;  to  kill  him  and  not  to 
take  it  on  your  hand  was  murder.  To  kill  men  at  dead  of 
night  was  also  looked  on  as  murder.  To  kill  a  foe  and  not 
bestow  the  rights  of  burial  on  his  body  by  throwing  sand  or 
gravel  over  him,  was  also  looked  on  as  murder.  Even  the 
wicked  Thiostolf  throws  gravel  over  Glum  in  our  Saga, 
and  Thord  Freedmanson's  complaint  against  Brynjolf  the 


xxvi     DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


unruly  was  that  he  had  buried  Atli's  body  badly.  Even 
in  killing  a  foe  there  was  an  open  gentlemanlike  way  of 
doing  it,  to  fail  in  which  was  shocking  to  the  free  and 
outspoken  spirit  of  the  age.  Thorgeir  Craggeir  and  the 
gallant  Kari  wake  their  foes  and  give  them  time  to  arm 
themselves  before  they  fall  upon  them  ;  and  Hrapp,  too, 
the  thorough  Icelander  of  the  common  stamp,  "  the  friend 
of  his  friends  and  the  foe  of  his  foes,"  stalks  before  Gud- 
brand  and  tells  him  to  his  face  the  crimes  which  he  has 
committed.  Robbery  and  piracy  in  a  good  straightfor- 
ward wholesale  way  were  honoured  and  respected  ;  but  to 
steal,  to  creep  to  a  man's  abode  secretly  at  dead  of  night 
and  spoil  his  goods,  was  looked  upon  as  infamy  of  the 
worst  kind.  To  do  what  lay  before  him  openly  and  like 
a  man,  without  fear  of  either  foes,  fiends,  or  fate  ;  to  hold 
his  own  and  speak  his  mind,  and  seek  fame  without  re- 
spect of  persons  ;  to  be  free  and  daring  in  all  his  deeds  ; 
to  be  gentle  and  generous  to  his  friends  and  kinsmen  ;  to 
be  stern  and  grim  to  his  foes,  but  even  towards  them 
to  feel  bound  to  fulfil  all  bounden  duties  ;  to  be  as  for- 
giving to  some  as  he  was  unyielding  and  unforgiving  to 
others.  To  be  no  trucebreaker,  nor  talebearer  nor  back- 
biter. To  utter  nothing  against  any  man  that  he  would 
not  dare  to  tell  him  to  his  face.  To  turn  no  man  from 
his  door  who  sought  food  or  shelter,  even  though  he  were 
a  foe — these  were  other  broad  principles  of  the  North- 
man's life,  further  features  of  that  steadfast  faithful  spirit 
which  he  brought  with  him  to  his  new  home.  .  .  . 

Daily  Life  in  Njal's  Time. 

In  the  tenth  century  the  homesteads  of  the  Icelanders 
consisted  of  one  main  building,  in  which  the  family  lived 
by  day  and  slept  at  night,  and  of  out-houses  for  offices  and 
farm -buildings,  all  opening  on  a  yard.  Sometimes  these 
out-buildings  touched  the  main  building,  and  had  doors 
which  opened  into  it,  but  in  most  cases  they  stood  apart, 
and  for  purposes  of  defence,  no  small  consideration  in  those 
days,  each  might  be  looked  upon  as  a  separate  house. 

The  main  building  of  the  house  was  the  stofa,  or  sitting 
and  sleeping  room.    In  the  abodes  of  chiefs  and  great  men, 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION,  xxvii 


this  building  had  great  dimensions,  and  was  then  called  a 
skali,  or  hall.  It  was  also  called  eldhiis,  or  eldaskali,  from 
the  great  fires  which  burned  in  it.  ...  It  had  two  doors, 
the  men's  or  main  door,  and  the  women's  or  lesser  door. 
Each  of  these  doors  opened  into  a  porch  of  its  own, 
andyri,  which  was  often  wide  enough,  in  the  case  of 
that  into  which  the  men's  door  opened,  as  we  see  in 
Thrain's  house  at  Gritwater,  to  allow  many  men  to 
stand  in  it  abreast.  It  was  sometimes  called  forskali. 
Internally  the  hall  consisted  of  three  divisions,  a  nave  and 
two  low  side  aisles.  The  walls  of  these  aisles  were  of  stone, 
and  low  enough  to  allow  of  their  being  mounted  with  ease, 
as  we  see  happened  both  with  Gurmar's  skali,  and  with  Njal's. 
The  centre  division  or  nave  on  the  other  hand,  rose  high 
above  the  others  on  two  rows  of  pillars.  It  was  of  timber, 
and  had  an  open  work  timber  roof.  The  roofs  of  the  side 
aisles  were  supported  by  posts  as  well  as  by  rafters  and 
crossbeams  leaning  against  the  pillars  of  the  nave.  It  was 
on  one  of  these  crossbeams,  after  it  had  fallen  down  from 
the  burning  roof,  that  Kari  got  on  to  the  side  wall  and 
leapt  out,  while  Skarphedinn,  when  the  burnt  beam  snapped 
asunder  under  his  weight,  was  unable  to  follow  him.  There 
were  fittings  of  wainscot  along  the  walls  of  the  side  aisles, 
and  all  round  between  the  pillars  of  the  inner  row,  sup- 
porting the  roof  of  the  nave,  ran  a  wainscot  panel.  In 
places  the  wainscot  was  pierced  by  doors  opening  into  sleep- 
ing places  shut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  hall  on  all  sides  for 
the  heads  of  the  family.  In  other  parts  of  the  passages 
were  sleeping  places  and  beds  not  so  shut  off,  for  the  rest 
of  the  household.  The  women  servants  slept  in  the  passage 
behind  the  dais  at  one  end  of  the  hall.  Over  some  halls 
there  were  upper  chambers  or  lofts,  in  one  of  which  Gunnar 
of  Lithend  slept,  and  from  which  he  made  his  famous 
defence. 

We  have  hitherto  treated  only  of  the  passages  and  re- 
cesses of  the  side  aisles.  The  whole  of  the  nave  within  the 
wainscot,  between  the  inner  round  pillars,  was  filled  by  the 
hall  properly  so  called.  It  had  long  hearths  for  fires  in  the 
middle,  with  louvres  above  to  let  out  the  smoke.  On  either 
side  nearest  to  the  wa'nscot,  and  in  some  cases  touching  it, 


xxviii    DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


was  a  row  of  benches ;  in  each  of  these  was  a  high  seat, 
if  the  hall  was  that  of  a  great  man,  that  on  the  south  side 
being  the  owner's  seat.  Before  these  seats  were  tables, 
boards,  which,  however,  do  not  seem,  any  more  than  our 
early  Middle  Age  tables,  to  have  been  always  kept  standing, 
but  were  brought  in  with,  and  cleared  away  after,  each 
meal.  On  ordinary  occasions,  one  row  of  benches  on  each 
side  sufficed  ;  but  when  there  was  a  great  feast,  or  a  sud- 
den rush  of  unbidden  guests,  as  when  Flosi  paid  his  visit 
to  Tongue  to  take  down  Asgrim's  pride,  a  lower  kind  of 
seats,  or  stools  were  brought  in,  on  which  the  men  of  lowest 
rank  sat,  and  which  were  on  the  outside  of  the  tables, 
nearest  to  the  fire.  At  the  end  of  the  hall,  over  against 
the  door,  was  a  raised  platform  or  dais,  on  which  also  was 
sometimes  a  high  seat  and  benches.  It  was  where  the 
women  sat  at  weddings,  as  we  see  from  the  account  of 
Hallgerda's  wedding,  in  our  Saga,  and  from  many  other 
passages. 

In  later  times  the  seat  of  honour  was  shifted  from  the 
upper  bench  to  the  dais  ;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  the 
case  occasionally  with  kings  and  earls  in  Njal's  time,  if  we 
may  judge  from  the  passage  in  the  Saga,  where  Hildigunna 
fits  up  a  high  seat  on  the  dais  for  Flosi,  which  he  spurns 
from  under  him  with  the  words,  that  he  was  "  neither  king 
nor  earl,"  meaning  that  he  was  a  simple  man,  and  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  any  of  those  new  fashions.  It 
was  to  the  dais  that  Asgrim  betook  himself  when  Flosi 
paid  him  his  visit,  and  unless  Asgrim's  hall  was  much 
smaller  than  we  have  any  reason  to  suppose  would  be  the 
case  in  the  dwelling  of  so  great  a  chief,  Flosi  must  have 
eaten  his  meal  not  far  from  the  dais,  in  order  to  allow  of 
Asgrim's  getting  near  enough  to  aim  a  blow  at  him  with 
a  pole-axe  from  the  rail  at  the  edge  of  the  platform.  On 
high  days  and  feast  days,  part  of  the  hall  was  hung  with 
tapestry,  often  of  great  worth  and  beauty,  and  over  the 
hangings  all  along  the  wainscot,  were  carvings  such  as 
those  which  .  .  .  our  Saga  tells  us  Thorkel  Foulmouth 
had  carved  on  the  stool  before  his  high  seat  and  over  his 
shut  bed,  in  memory  of  those  deeds  of  "  derring  do  "  which 
he  had  performed  in  foreign  lands. 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION.  xxix 


Against  the  wainscot  in  various  parts  of  the  hall, 
shields  and  weapons  were  hung  up.  It  was  the  sound  of 
Skarphedinn's  axe  against  the  wainscot  that  woke  up  Njal 
and  brought  him  out  of  his  shut  bed,  when  his  sons  set  out 
on  their  hunt  after  Sigmund  the  white  and  Skiolld. 

Now  let  us  pass  out  of  the  skali  by  either  door,  and 
cast  our  eyes  at  the  high  gables  with  their  carved  projec- 
tions, and  we  shall  understand  at  a  glance  how  it  was  that 
Mord's  counsel  to  throw  ropes  round  the  ends  of  the 
timbers,  and  then  to  twist  them  tight  with  levers  and 
rollers,  could  only  end,  if  carried  out,  in  tearing  the  whole 
roof  off  the  house.  It  was  then  much  easier  work  for 
Gunnar's  foes  to  mount  up  on  the  side-roofs  as  the  Easter- 
ling,  who  brought  word  that  his  bill  was  at  home,  had 
already  done,  and  thence  to  attack  him  in  his  sleeping 
loft  with  safety  to  themselves,  after  his  bow-string  had  been 
cut. 

Some  homesteads,  like  those  of  Gunnar  at  Lithend, 
and  Gisli  and  his  brother  at  Hoi  in  Hawk  dale,  in  the 
West  Firths,  had  bowers,  ladies'  chambers,  where  the 
women  sat  and  span,  and  where,  in  both  the  houses  that 
we  have  named,  gossip  and  scandal  was  talked  with  the 
worst  results.  These  bowers  stood  away  from  the  other 
buildings.  .  .  . 

Every  Icelandic  homestead  was  approached  by  a  straight 
road  which  led  up  to  the  yard  round  which  the  main 
building  and  its  out-houses  and  farm-buildings  stood.  This 
was  fenced  in  on  each  side  by  a  wall  of  stones  or  turf. 
Near  the  house  stood  the  "  town  "  or  home  fields  where 
meadow  hay  was  grown,  and  in  favoured  positions  where 
corn  would  grow,  there  were  also  enclosures  of  arable  land 
near  the  house.  On  the  uplands  and  marshes  more  hay 
was  grown.  Hay  was  the  great  crop  in  Iceland  ;  for  the 
large  studs  of  horses  and  great  herds  of  cattle  that  roamed 
upon  the  hills  and  fells  in  summer  needed  fodder  in  the 
stable  and  byre  in  winter,  when  they  were  brought  home. 
As  for  the  flocks  of  sheep,  they  seem  to  have  been  reckoned 
and  marked  every  autumn,  and  milked  and  shorn  in  sum- 
mer ;  but  to  have  fought  it  out  with  nature  on  the  hill- 
side all  the  year  round  as  they  best  could.    Hay,  therefore, 


xxx      DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


was  the  main  staple,  and  hay-making  the  great  end  and 
aim  of  an  Icelandic  farmer.  .  .  .  Gunnar's  death  in  our 
Saga  may  be  set  down  to  the  fact  that  all  his  men  were 
away  in  the  Landisles  finishing  their  haymaking.  Again, 
Flosi,  before  the  Burning,  bids  all  his  men  go  home  and 
make  an  end  of  their  haymaking,  and  when  that  is  over, 
to  meet  and  fall  on  Njal  and  his  sons.  Even  the  great 
duty  of  revenge  gives  way  to  the  still  more  urgent  duty  of 
providing  fodder  for  the  winter  store.  Hayneed,  to  run 
short  of  hay,  was  the  greatest  misfortune  that  could  befall 
a  man,  who  with  a  fine  herd  and  stud,  might  see  both 
perish  before  his  eyes  in  winter.  Then  it  was  that  men  of 
open  heart  and  hand,  like  Gunnar,  helped  their  tenants  and 
neighbours,  often,  as  we  see  in  Gunnar's  case,  till  they  had 
neither  hay  nor  food  enough  left  for  their  own  household, 
and  had  to  buy  or  borrow  from  those  that  had.  Then, 
too,  it  was  that  the  churl's  nature  came  out  in  Otkell  and 
others,  who  having  enough  and  to  spare,  would  not  part 
with  their  abundance  for  love  or  money. 

These  men  were  no  idlers.  They  worked  hard,  and 
all,  high  and  low,  worked.  In  no  land  does  the  dignity  of 
labour  stand  out  so  boldly.  The  greatest  chiefs  sow  and 
reap,  and  drive  their  sheep,  like  Glum,  the  Speaker's 
brother,  from  the  fells.  The  mightiest  warriors  were  the 
handiest  carpenters  and  smiths.  Gisli  Sur's  son  knew 
every  corner  of  his  foeman's  house,  because  he  had  built  it 
with  his  own  hands  while  they  were  good  friends.  Njal's 
sons  are  busy  at  armourer's  work,  like  the  sons  of  the 
mythical  Ragnar  before  them,  when  the  news  comes  to 
them  that  Sigmund  has  made  a  mock  of  them  in  his  songs. 
Gunnar  sows  his  corn  with  his  arms  by  his  side,  when 
Otkell  rides  over  him ;  and  Hauskuld  the  Whiteness  priest 
is  doing  the  same  work  when  he  is  slain.  To  do  some- 
thing, and  to  do  it  well,  was  the  Icelander's  aim  in  life* 
and  in  no  land  does  laziness  like  that  of  Thorkell  meet 
with  such  well  deserved  reproach.  They  were  early  risers 
and  went  early  to  bed,  though  they  could  sit  up  late  if 
need  were.  They  thought  nothing  of  long  rides  before 
they  broke  their  fast.  Their  first  meal  was  at  about  seven 
o'clock,  and  though  they  may  have  taken  a  morsel  of  food 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION.  xxxi 


during  the  day,  we  hear  of  no  other  regular  daily  meal  till 
evening,  when  between  seven  and  eight  again  they  had 
supper.  While  the  men  laboured  on  the  farm  or  in  the 
smithy,  threw  nets  for  fish  in  the  teeming  lakes  and  rivers, 
or  were  otherwise  at  work  during  the  day,  the  women,  and 
the  housewife,  or  mistress  of  the  house,  at  their  head,  made 
ready  the  food  for  the  meals,  carded  wool,  and  sewed  or 
wove  or  span.  At  meal- time  the  food  seems  to  have  been 
set  on  the  board  by  the  women,  who  waited  on  the  men, 
and  at  great  feasts,  such  as  Gunnar's  wedding,  the  wives  of 
his  nearest  kinsmen,  and  of  his  dearest  friend.  Thorhillda 
Skaldtongue,  Thrain's  wife,  and  Bergthora,  Njal's  wife, 
went  about  from  board  to  board  waiting  on  the  guests. 

In  everyday  life  they  were  a  simple  sober  people,  early 
to  bed  and  early  to  rise — ever  struggling  with  the  rigour 
of  the  climate.  On  great  occasions,  as  at  the  Yule  feasts 
in  honour  of  the  gods,  held  at  the  temples,  or  at  "  arvel," 
"heir-ale,"  feasts,  when  heirs  drank  themselves  into  their 
father's  land  and  goods,  or  at  the  autumn  feasts,  which 
friends  and  kinsmen  gave  to  one  another,  there  was  no 
doubt  great  mirth  and  jollity,  much  eating  and  hard 
drinking  of  mead  and  fresh-brewed  ale ;  but  these  drinks 
are  not  of  a  very  heady  kind,  and  one  glass  of  spirits  in 
our  days  would  send  a  man  farther  on  the  road  to  drunken- 
ness than  many  a  horn  of  foaming  mead.  They  were  by 
no  means  that  race  of  drunkards  and  hard  livers  which 
some  have  seen  fit  to  call  them. 

Nor  were  these  people  such  barbarians  as  some  have 
fancied,  to  whom  it  is  easier  to  rob  a  whole  people  of  its 
character  by  a  single  word  than  to  take  the  pains  to  in- 
quire into  its  history.  They  were  bold  warriors  and  bolder 
sailors.  The  voyage  between  Iceland  and  Norway,  or  Ice- 
land and  Orkney,  was  reckoned  as  nothing ;  but  from  the 
west  firths  of  Iceland,  Eric  the  Red — no  ruffian  as  he  has 
been  styled,  though  he  had  committed  an  act  of  man- 
slaughter— discovered  Greenland  ;  and  from  Greenland  the 
hardy  seafarers  pushed  on  across  the  main,  till  they  made 
the  dreary  coast  of  Labrador.  Down  that  they  ran  until 
they  came  at  last  to  Vineland  the  good,  which  took  its 
name  from  the  grapes  that  grew  there.   From  the  accounts 


xxxii    DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


given  of  the  length  of  the  days  in  that  land,  it  is  now  the 
opinion  of  those  best  fitted  to  judge  on  such  matters,  that 
this  Vineland  was  no  other  than  scfme  part  of  the  North 
American  continent  near  Rhode  Island  or  Massachussets, 
in  the  United  States.  Their  ships  were  half-decked,  high 
out  of  the  water  at  stem  and  stern,  low  in  the  waist,  that 
the  oars  might  reach  the  water,  for  they  were  made  for 
rowing  as  well  as  for  sailing.  The  after-part  had  a  poop. 
The  fore-part  seems  to  have  been  without  deck,  but  loose 
planks  were  laid  there  for  men  to  stand  on.  A  distinction 
was  made  between  long-ships  or  ships  of  war,  made  long  for 
speed,  and  .  .  .  ships  of  burden,  which  were  built  to  carry 
cargo.  The  common  complement  was  thirty  rowers,  which 
in  warships  made  sometimes  a  third  and  sometimes  a  sixth 
of  the  crew.  All  round  the  warships,  before  the  fight 
began,  shield  was  laid  on  shield,  on  a  rim  or  rail,  which 
ran  all  round  the  bulwarks,  presenting  a  mark  like  the 
hammocks  of  our  navy,  by  which  a  long-ship  could  be 
at  once  detected.  The  bulwarks  in  warships  could  be 
heightened  at  pleasure,  and  this  was  called  "  to  girdle  the 
ship  for  war".  The  merchant  ships  often  carried  heavy 
loads  of  meal  and  timber  from  Norway,  and  many  a  one  of 
these  half-decked  yawls  no  doubt  foundered,  like  Flosi's 
unsea worthy  ship,  under  the  weight  of  her  heavy  burden 
of  beams  and  planks,  when  overtaken  by  the  autumnal 
gales  on  that  wild  sea.  The  passages  were  often  very  long; 
more  than  one  hundred  days  is  sometimes  mentioned  as  the 
time  spent  on  a  voyage  between  Norway  and  Iceland. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  reached  the  land,  she  ran  into  some 
safe  bay  or  creek,  the  great  landing  places  on  the  south 
and  south-east  coasts  being  Eyrar,  "The  Eres,"  as  such 
spots  are  still  called  in  some  parts  of  the  British  Isles,  that 
is,  the  sandy  beaches  opening  into  lagoons  which  line  the 
shore  of  the  marsh  district  called  Fldi ;  and  Hornfirth, 
whence  Flosi  and  the  Burners  put  to  sea  after  their  banish- 
ment. There  the  ship  was  laid  up  in  a  slip,  made  for  her, 
she  was  stripped  and  made  snug  for  the  winter,  a  roof  of 
planks  being  probably  thrown  over  her,  while  the  lighter 
portions  of  her  cargo  were  carried  on  pack-saddles  up  the 
country.    The  timber  seems  to  have  been  floated  up  vhe 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION,  xxxiii 


firths  and  rivers  as  near  as  it  could  be  got  to  its  destina- 
tion, and  then  dragged  by  trains  of  horses  to  the  spot 
where  it  was  to  be  used. 

Some  of  the  cargo — the  meal,  and  cloth  and  arms — was 
wanted  at  home ;  some  of  it  was  sold  to  neighbours  either 
for  ready  money  or  on  trust,  it  being  usual  to  ask  for  the 
debt  either  in  coin  or  in  kind,  the  spring  after.  Some- 
times the  account  remained  outstanding  for  a  much  longer 
time.  Among  these  men  whose  hands  were  so  swift  to 
shed  blood,  and  in  that  state  of  things  which  looks  so 
lawless,  but  which  in  truth  was  based  upon  fixed  principles 
of  justice  and  law,  the  rights  of  property  were  so  safe,  that 
men  like  Njal  went  lending  their  money  to  overbearing 
fellows  like  Starkad  under  Threecorner  for  years,  on  con- 
dition that  he  should  pay  a  certain  rate  of  interest.  So 
also  Gunnar  had  goods  and  money  out  at  interest,  out  of 
which  he  wished  to  supply  Unna's  wants.  In  fact  the 
law  of  debtor  and  creditor,  and  of  borrowing  money  at 
usance,  was  well  understood  in  Iceland,  from  the  very  first 
day  that  the  Northmen  set  foot  on  it  shores. 

If  we  examine  the  condition  of  the  sexes  in  this  state 
of  society,  we  shall  find  that  men  and  women  met  very 
nearly  on  equal  terms.  If  any  woman  is  shocked  to  read 
how  Thrain  Sigfus'  son  treated  his  wife,  in  parting  from 
her,  and  marrying  a  new  one,  at  a  moment's  warning,  she 
must  be  told  that  Gudruna,  in  Laxdsela,  threatened  one 
of  her  three  husbands  with  much  the  same  treatment,  and 
would  have  put  her  threat  into  execution  if  he  had  not 
behaved  as  she  commanded  him.  In  our  Saga,  too,  the 
gudewife  of  Bjorn  the  boaster  threatens  him  with  a  sepa- 
ration if  he  does  not  stand  faithfully  by  Kari ;  and  in 
another  Saga  of  equal  age  and  truthfulness,  we  hear  of  one 
great  lady  who  parted  from  her  husband,  because,  in  play- 
fully throwing  a  pillow  of  down  at  her,  he  unwittingly 
struck  her  with  his  finger.  In  point  of  fact,  the  customary 
law  allowed  great  latitude  to  separations,  at  the  will  of 
either  party,  if  good  reason  could  be  shown  for  the  desired 
change.  It  thought  that  the  worst  service  it  could  render 
to  those  whom  it  was  intended  to  protect  would  be  to 
force  two  people  to  live  together  against  their  will,  or 


xxxiv   DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


even  against  the  will  of  only  one  of  them,  if  that  person 
considered  him  or  herself,  as  the  case  might  be,  ill-treated 
or  neglected.  Gunnar  no  doubt  could  have  separated 
himself  from  Hallgerda  for  her  thieving,  just  as  Hallgerda 
could  have  parted  from  Gunnar  for  giving  her  that  slap  in 
the  face  ;  but  they  lived  on,  to  Gunnar's  cost  and  Hallgerda's 
infamy.  In  marriage  contracts  the  rights  of  brides,  like 
Unna  the  great  heiress  of  the  south-west,  or  Hallgerda 
the  flower  of  the  western  dales,  were  amply  provided  for. 
In  the  latter  case  it  was  a  curious  fact  that  this  wicked 
woman  retained  possession  of  Laugarness,  near  Reykjavik, 
which  was  part  of  her  second  husband  Glum's  property, 
to  her  dying  day,  and  there,  according  to  constant  tradition, 
she  was  buried  in  a  cairn  which  is  still  shown  at  the  present 
time,  and  which  is  said  to  be  always  green,  summer  and 
winter  alike.  Where  marriages  were  so  much  matter  of 
barter  and  bargain,  the  father  s  will  went  for  so  much  and 
that  of  the  children  for  so  little,  love  matches  were  com- 
paratively rare  ;  and  if  the  songs  of  Gunnlaugr  snaketongue 
and  Kormak  have  described  the  charms  of  their  fair  ones, 
and  the  warmth  of  their  passion  in  glowing  terms,  the 
ordinary  Icelandic  marriage  of  the  tenth  century  was  much 
more  a  matter  of  business,  in  the  first  place,  than  of  love. 
Though  strong  affection  may  have  sprung  up  afterwards 
between  husband  and  wife,  the  love  was  rather  a  conse- 
quence of  the  marriage  than  the  marriage  a  result  of  the 
love. 

When  death  came  it  was  the  duty  of  the  next  of  kin 
to  close  the  eyes  and  nostrils  of  the  departed,  and  our  Saga, 
in  that  most  touching  story  of  Rodny's  behaviour  after 
the  death  of  her  son  Hauskuld,  affords  an  instance  of  the 
custom.  When  Njal  asks  why  she,  the  mother,  as  next  of 
kin,  had  not  closed  the  eyes  and  nostrils  of  the  corpse,  the 
mother  answers,  "That  duty  I  meant  for  Skarphedinn 
Skarphedinn  then  performs  the  duty,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  undertakes  the  duty  of  revenge.  In  heathen  times 
the  burial  took  place  on  a  "  how  "  or  cairn,  in  some  com- 
manding position  near  the  abode  of  the  dead,  and  now 
came  another  duty.  This  was  the  binding  on  of  the 
"  hellshoes,"  which  the  deceased  was  believed  to  need  in 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION,  xxxv 


^heathen  times  on  his  way  either  to  Valhalla's  bright  hall 
of  warmth  and  mirth,  or  to  Hell's  dark  realm  of  cold  and 
sorrow.  That  duty  over,  the  body  was  laid  in  the  cairn 
with  goods  and  arms,  sometimes  as  we  see  was  the  case 
with  Gunnar  in  a  sitting  posture ;  sometimes  even  in  a 
ship,  but  always  in  a  chamber  formed  of  baulks  of  timber 
or  blocks  of  stone,  over  which  earth  and  gravel  were 
piled.  .  .  . 

Conclusion. 

We  are  entitled  to  ask  in  what  work  of  any  age  are 
the  characters  so  boldly,  and  yet  so  delicately,  drawn  [as 
in  this  Saga]  ?  Where  shall  we  match  the  goodness  and 
manliness  of  Gunnar,  struggling  with  the  storms  of  fate, 
and  driven  on  by  the  wickedness  of  Hallgerda  into  quarrel 
after  quarrel,  which  were  none  of  his  own  seeking,  but  led 
no  less  surely  to  his  own  end  ?  Where  shall  we  match 
Hallgerda  herself — that  noble  frame,  so  fair  and  tall,  and 
yet  with  so  foul  a  heart,  the  abode  of  all  great  crimes,  and 
also  the  lurking  place  of  tale-bearing  and  thieving  ?  Where 
shall  we  find  parallels  to  Skarphedinn's  hastiness  and  readi- 
ness, as  axe  aloft  he  leapt  twelve  ells  across  Markfleet,  and 
glided  on  to  smite  Thrain  his  death-blow  on  the  slippery 
ice  ?  where  for  Bergthora's  love  and  tenderness  for  her  hus- 
band, she  who  was  given  young  to  Njal,  and  could  not 
find  it  in  her  heart  to  part  from  him  when  the  house  blazed 
over  their  heads  ?  where  for  Kari's  dash  and  gallantry,  the 
man  who  dealt  his  blows  straightforward,  even  in  the  Earl's 
hall,  and  never  thought  twice  about  them  ?  where  for 
Njal  himself,  the  man  who  never  dipped  his  hands  in 
blood,  who  could  unravel  all  the  knotty  points  of  the  law  ; 
who  foresaw  all  that  was  coming,  whether  for  good  or  ill, 
for  friend  or  for  foe  ;  who  knew  what  his  own  end  would 
be,  though  quite  powerless  to  avert  it ;  and  when  it  came, 
laid  him  down  to  his  rest,  and  never  uttered  sound  or 
groan,  though  the  flames  roared  loud  around  him  ?  Nor 
are  the  minor  characters  less  carefully  drawn,  the  scolding 
tongue  of  Thrain's  first  wife,  the  mischief-making  Thiostolf 
with  his  pole-axe,  which  divorced  Hallgerda's  first  hus- 
band, Hrut's   swordsmanship,  Asgrim's  dignity,  Gizur's 

l 


xxxvi    DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION. 


good  counsel,  Snorri's  common  sense  and  shrewdness,  Gud- 
mund's  grandeur,  Thorgeir's  thirst  for  fame,  Kettle's  kind- 
liness, Ingialld's  heartiness,  and,  though  last  not  least, 
Bjorn's  boastfulness,  which  his  gudewife  is  ever  ready  to 
cry  down — are  all  sketched  with  a  few  sharp  strokes  which 
leave  their  mark  for  once  and  for  ever  on  the  reader's 
mind.  Strange  !  were  it  not  that  human  nature  is  herself 
in  every  age,  that  such  forbearance  and  forgiveness  as  is 
shown  by  Njal  and  Hauskuld  and  Hall,  should  have  shot 
up  out  of  that  social  soil,  so  stained  and  steeped  with  the 
blood-shedding  of  revenge.  Revenge  was  the  great  duty 
of  Icelandic  life,  yet  Njal  is  always  ready  to  make  up  a 
quarrel,  though  he  acknowledges  the  duty,  when  he  refuses 
in  his  last  moments  to  outlive  his  children,  whom  he  feels 
himself  unable  to  revenge.  The  last  words  of  Hauskuld, 
when  he  was  foully  assassinated  through  the  tale-bearing  of 
Mord,  were,  "  God  help  me  and  forgive  you " ;  nor  did 
the  beauty  of  a  Christian  spirit  ever  shine  out  more 
brightly  than  in  Hall,  who,  when  his  son  Ljot,  the  flower 
of  his  flock,  fell  full  of  youth,  and  strength,  and  promise, 
in  chance-medley  at  the  battle  on  the  Thingfield,  at  once 
for  the  sake  of  peace  gave  up  the  father's  and  the  freeman's 
dearest  rights,  those  of  compensation  and  revenge,  and 
allowed  his  son  to  fall  unatoned  in  order  that  peace  might 
be  made.  This  struggle  between  the  principle  of  an  old 
system  now  turned  to  evil,  and  that  of  a  new  state  of 
things  which  was  still  fresh  and  good,  between  heathendom 
as  it  sinks  into  superstition,  and  Christianity  before  it  has 
had  time  to  become  superstitious,  stands  strongly  forth  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  Saga ;  but  as  yet  the  new  faith  can 
only  assert  its  forbearance  and  forgiveness  in  principle. 
It  has  not  had  time,  except  in  some  rare  instances,  to 
bring  them  into  play  in  daily  life.  Even  in  heathen  times 
such  a  deed  as  that  by  which  Njal  met  his  death,  to  hem  a 
man  in  within  his  house  and  then  to  burn  it  and  him  to- 
gether, to  choke  a  freeman,  as  Skarphedinn  says,  like  a  fox 
in  his  earth,  was  quite  against  the  free  and  open  nature  of 
the  race  ;  and  though  instances  of  such  foul  deeds  occur 
besides  those  two  great  cases  of  Blundkettle  and  Njal,  still 
they  were  always  looked  upon  ,as  atrocious  crimes  and 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION,  xxxvii 

punished  accordingly.  No  wonder,  therefore,  then  that 
Flosi,  after  the  Change  of  Faith,  when  he  makes  up  his 
mind  to  fire  NjaFs  house,  declares  the  deed  to  be  one  for 
which  they  would  have  to  answer  heavily  before  God, 
"  seeing  that  we  are  Christian  men  ourselves      .  .  . 

One  word  and  we  must  bring  this  introduction  to  an 
end ;  it  is  merely  to  point  out  how  calmly  and  peacefully 
the  Saga  ends,  with  the  perfect  reconciliation  of  Kari  and 
Flosi,  those  generous  foes,  who  throughout  the  bitter 
struggle  in  which  they  were  engaged  always  treated  each 
other  with  respect.  It  is  a  comfort  to  find,  after  the 
whole  fitful  story  has  been  worked  out,  after  passing  from 
page  to  page,  every  one  of  which  reeks  with  gore,  to  find 
that  after  all  there  were  even  in  that  bloodthirsty  Iceland 
of  the  tenth  century  such  things  as  peaceful  old  age  and 
happy  firesides,  and  that  men  like  Flosi  and  Kari,  who 
had  both  shed  so  much  blood,  one  in  a  good  and  the 
other  in  a  wicked  cause,  should  after  all  die,  Flosi  on  a 
trading  voyage,  an  Icelandic  Ulysses,  in  an  unseaworthy 
ship,  good  enough,  as  he  said,  for  an  old  and  death- 
doomed  man,  Kari  at  home,  well  stricken  in  years,  blessed 
with  a  famous  and  numerous  offspring,  and  a  proud  but 
loving  wife. 


ICELANDIC  CHRONOLOGY. 


a.d.  850.  Birth  of  Harold  fairhair. 

860.  Harold  fairhair  comes  to  the  throne. 

870.  Harold  fairhair  sole  King  in  Norway. 

871.  Ingolf  sets  out  for  Iceland. 

872.  Battle  of  Hafrsfirth  (HafrsfjorSr). 
874.  Ingolf  and  Leif  go  to  settle  in  Iceland. 
877.  Kettle  haeng  goes  to  Iceland. 

880-884.  Harold  fairhair  roots  out  the  Vikings  in  the  west. 

888.  Fall  of  Thorstein  the  red  in  Scotland. 
890-900.  Rush  of  settlers  from  the  British  Isles  to  Iceland. 

892.  Aud  the  deeply  wealthy  comes  to  Iceland. 
900-920.  The  third  period  of  the  Landnamstide. 

920.  Harold  fairhair  shares  the  kingdom  with  his  sons. 

923.  Hrut  Hauskuld's  brother  born. 

929.  Althing  established. 

930.  Hrafn  Kettle  haeng's  son  Speaker  of  the  Law. 
930-935.  Njal  born. 

930.  The  Fleetlithe  feud  begins. 
933.  Death  of  Harold  fairhair. 

940.  End  of  the  Fleetlithe  feud ;  Fiddle  Mord  a  man  of  rank ; 

Hamond  Gunnar's  son  marries  Mord's  sister  Rannveiga. 

941.  Fall  of  King  Eric  Bloodaxe. 
c.  945.  Gunnar  of  Lithend  born. 

955-960.  Njal's  sons  born. 

959.  Glum  marries  Hallgerda. 

960.  Fall  of  King  Hacon  ;   Athelstane's  foster-child,  Harold 

Grayfell,  King  in  Norway. 
963.  Hrut  goes  abroad. 

965.  Hrut  returns  to  Iceland  and  marries  Unna  Mord's  daughter. 

968.  Unna  parts  from  Hrut. 

969.  Fiddle  Mord  and  Hrut  strive  at  the  Althing  ;  Fall  of  King 

Harold  Grayfell ;  Earl  Hacon  rules  in  Norway. 
970-971.  Fiddle  Mord's  death  ;  Gunnar  and  Hrut  strive  at  the  Al- 
thing. 

972.  Gunnar  of  Lithend  goes  abroad. 
974.  Gunnar  returns  to  Iceland. 


xl        ICELANDIC  CHRONOLOGY. 


A.D.  974. 
975. 
976. 
977- 
978. 

979- 
983. 
984. 
985. 


987. 
988. 
989. 


990. 
992. 

994. 

995- 
996. 

997- 
998. 


999- 
1000. 


IOOI, 

I002. 
IOO3, 

1003  or  1004, 


1006, 
1009, 


Gunnar's  marriage  with  Hallgerda. 
The  slaying  of  Swart. 
The  slaying  of  Kol. 
The  slaying  of  Atli. 

The  slaying  of  Brynjolf  the  unruly  and  Thord  Freedmanson. 

The  slaying  of  Sigmund  the  white. 

Hallgerda  steals  from  Otkell  at  Kirkby. 

The  suit  for  the  theft  settled  at  the  Althing. 

Otkell  rides  over  Gunnar  in  the  spring ;  fight  at  Rangriver 
just  before  the  Althing;  at  the  Althing  Geir  the  priest 
and  Gunnar  strive  ;  in  the  autumn  Hauskuld  Dale-Kolli's 
son,  Gunnar's  father-in-law,  dies  ;  birth  of  Hauskuld 
Thrain's  son. 

The  fight  at  Knafahills,  and  death  of  Hjort  Gunnar's  brother. 
The  suit  for  those  slain  at  Knafahills  settled  at  the  Althing. 
Gunnar  goes  west  to  visit  Olaf  the  peacock. 
Slaying  of  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  before,  and  banishment  of 

Gunnar  at,  the  Althing  ;  Njal's  sons,  Helgi  and  Grim, 

and  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  go  abroad. 
Gunnar  slain  at  Lithend. 

Thrain  returns  to  Iceland  with  Hrapp;  Njal's  sons  ill-treated 

by  Earl  Hacon  for  his  sake. 
Njal's  sons  return  to  Iceland,  bringing  Kari  with  them. 
Death  of  Earl  Hacon  ;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  King  of  Norway. 
Skarphedinn  slays  Thrain. 

Thangbrand  sent  by  King  Olaf  to  preach  Christianity  in 
Iceland. 

Slaying  of  Arnor  of  Forswaterwood  by  Flosi's  brothers  at 

Skaptarfells  Thing  ;  Thangbrand's  missionary  journey  ; 

Gizur  and  Hjallti  go  abroad. 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  found  guilty  of  blasphemy  against  the 

Gods  at  the  Althing ;  Thangbrand  returns  to  Norway. 
Gizur  and  Hjallti  return  to  Iceland;  the  Change  of  Faith 

and  Christianity  brought  into  the  law  at  the  Althing  on 

St.  John's  day,  24th  June ;  fall  of  King  Olaf  Tryggvi's 

son  at  Svoldr,  gth  September. 
Thorgeir  the  priest  of  Lightwater  gives  up  the  Speakership 

of  the  Law. 
Grim  of  Mossfell  Speaker  of  the  Law. 
Grim  lays  down  the  Speakership. 

Skapti  Thorod's  son  Speaker  of  the  Law  ;  the  Fifth  Court 
established ;  Hauskuld  Thrain's  son  marries  Hildigunna 
Flosi's  niece  and  has  one  of  the  new  priesthoods  at 
Whiteness. 

Duels  abolished  in  legal  matters ;  slaying  of  Hauskuld 

Njal's  son  by  Lyting  and  his  brothers. 
Amund  the  blind  slays  Lyting ;  Valgard  the  guileful  comes 

back  to  Iceland  ;  his  evil  counsel  to  Mord ;  Mord  begins 

to  backbite  and  slander  Hauskuld  and  Njal's  sons  to  one 

another. 

Hauskuld  the  Whiteness  priest  slain  early  in  the  spring ; 
suit  for  his  manslaughter  at  the  Althing ;  Njal's  Burning 
the  autumn  after. 


ICELANDIC  CHRONOLOGY.  xli 


a.d.  1 1 12.  The  suit  for  the  Burning  and  battle  at  the  Althing;  Flosi 
and  the  Burners  banished ;  Kari  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir 
carry  on  the  feud. 

1 1 13.  Flosi  goes  abroad  with  the  Burners,  and  Kari  follows  them  ; 

Flosi  and  Kari  in  Orkney. 

1 1 14.  Brian's  battle  on  Good  Friday;  Flosi  goes  to  Rome. 

1 1 15.  Flosi  returns  from  Rome  to  Norway,  and  stays  with  Earl 

Eric,  Earl  Hacon's  son. 

1 1 16.  Flosi  returns  to  Iceland ;  Kari  goes  to  Rome  and  returns  to 

Caithness ;  his  wife  Helga  dies  out  in  Iceland. 

1 1 17.  Kari  returns  to  Iceland,  is  reconciled  with  Flosi,  and  marries 

Hildigunna  Hauskuld's  widow. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction   .       .  XVII 

The  Northmen  in  Iceland — Superstitions  of  the  Race — Social 
Principles — Daily  Life  in  Njal's  Time — Conclusion. 
Icelandic  Chronology  XXXIX 

CHAPTER 

I.  Of  Fiddle  Mord    .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  i 

II.  Hrut  Woos  Unna   2 

III.  Hrut  and  Gunnhillda,  Kings'  Mother  ....  4 

IV.  Of  Hrut's  Cruise   7 

V.  Atli  Arnvid  Son's  Slaying   8 

VI.  Hrut  Sails  out  to  Iceland   10 

VII.  Unna  separates  from  Hrut  ......  13 

VIII.  Mord  claims  his  Goods  from  Hrut       ....  15 

IX.  Thorwald  gets  Hallgerda  to  Wife       ....  17 

'X.  Hallgerda's  Wedding   19 

"~XI.  Thorwald's  Slaying      .......  20 

XII.  Thiostolf's  Flight   22 

XIII.  Glum's  Wooing   25 

XIV.  Glum's  Wedding   28 

XV.  Thiostolf  goes  to  Glum's  House   29 

XVI.  Glum's  Sheep  Hunt   30 

XVII.  Glum's  Slaying   31 

XVIII.  Fiddle  Mord's  Death    .       .       .       .       .       .  .34 

•  XIX.  Gunnar  comes  into  the  Story       .              .       .  34 

XX.  Of  Njal  and  his  Children   35 

XXI.  Unna  goes  to  see  Gunnar   35 

XXII.  Njal's  Advice   37 

XXIII.  Huckster  Hedinn   39 

XXIV.  Gunnar  and  Hrut  Strive  at  the  Thing  ....  42 
XXV.  Unna's  Second  Wedding     ......  44 

XXVI.  Of  Asgrim  and  his  Children   45 

XXVII.  Helgi  Njal's  Son's  Wooing   45 

XXVIII.  Hallvard  comes  out  to  Iceland   46 

rift?  XXIX.  Gunnar  goes  Abroad   47 

/„XXX.  Gunnar  goes  a-sea-roving    ......  48 

XXXI.  Gunnar  goes  to  King  Harold  Gorm's  Son  and  Earl 

Hacon   52 


xliv 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

XXXII. 

Gunnar  comes  out  to  Iceland  .... 

PAGE 

53 

•  XXXIII. 

Gunnar's  Wooing  ....... 

54 

XXXIV. 

/-v  C  T»  1  1         O  *  X*  1    o  _ 

57 

-  XXXV. 

rr-v  1  T7I_ix   j  1~>  .  j.1  .  —  1  11 

59 

XXXVI. 

6o 

WW  7T  T 

XXXVIi. 

The  Slaying  of  Kol,  whom  Atli  Slew  .... 

63 

XXXVIII. 

The  Killing  of  Atli  the  Thrall  

66 

XXXIX. 

1  he  Slaying  01  Brynjolf  the  Unruly  .... 

69 

XL. 

Gunnar  and  Njal  make  Peace  about  Brynjolf's  Slaying 

70 

XLI. 

7i 

XLII. 

1  he  Slaying  01  Ihord  treedmanson.  . 

Njal  and  Gunnar  make  Peace  for  the  Slaying  of  Thord 

73 

XLIII. 

74 

XLIV. 

Sigmund  Mocks  Njal  and  his  Sons  .... 

76 

XLV. 

rpi         CM—     *  —  r  O  *                    J           J    f-A  1   •     11  J 

I  he  Slaying  of  Sigmund  and  Skiolld  .... 

79 

XLVI. 

Of  Gizur  the  White  and  Geir  the  Priest 

82 

XLVII. 

83 

XLVIII. 

How  Hallgerda  makes  Malcolm  Steal  from  Kirkby 

85 

XLIX. 

86 

L. 

90 

LI. 

92 

LII. 

Of  Runolf,  the  Son  of  Wolf  Aurpriest  .... 

94 

LIII. 

95 

LIV. 

97 

* —  LV. 

99 

LVI. 

Gunnar  and  Geir  the  Priest  Strive  at  the  Thing  . 

101 

LVII. 

104 

LVIIL 

106 

LIX. 

Ar  a  •  j  t i r   i r  tt  •  »  o  

108 

LX. 

An  Attack  against  Gunnar  agreed  on  . 

109 

■ — "LXI. 

in 

LXII. 

The  Slaying  of  Hjort  and  Fourteen  Men 

112 

LXIII. 

115 

LXIV. 

116 

LXV. 

118 

LXVI. 

/~\C         1_  —  .  „  "       /"\  a  1  1 1  5  „  O   

120 

LXVII. 

t~\c  '"Pi  o j  i  ii  o  

121 

LXVI  II. 

122 

LXIX. 

Olaf  the  Peacock's  Gifts  to  Gunnar  .... 

124 

LXX. 

126 

LXXI. 

nni       ni       •         -  c  nni              ■     r\^\     111  c*  

The  Slaying  of  Thorgeir  Otkell  s  Son  .... 

127 

LXXII. 

Of  the  Suits  for  Manslaughter  at  the  Thing 

129 

LXXIII. 

130 

LXXIV. 

132 

LXXV. 

rrM  n  •  J  *             a  T   '  a  1  J 

135 

^  LXX  VI. 

135 

LXXVII. 

139 

LXXVIII. 

141 

LXXIX. 

T— T c\ crn i  foVpc  an  A  f on pm pnt'  for  frimnar'c  "Oputfl 

A4o 

f-**~"  LXXX'. 

Of  Kolskegg  :  How  he  was  Baptised  .... 

143 

LXXXI. 

Of  Thrain  :  How  he  Slew  Kol  

144 

LXXXII. 

147 

LXXXIII. 

148 

LXXXIV. 

I50 

CONTENTS.  xlv 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

LXXXV.  The  Battle  with  the  Earls    .       .       .       .  .151 

LXXXVI.  Hrapp's  Voyage  from  Iceland   152 

LXXXVII.  Thrain  took  to  Hrapp   156 

LXXXVIII.  Earl  Hacon  Fights  with  Njal's  Sons    ....  162 

LXXXIX.  Njal's  Sons  and  Kari  come  out  to  Iceland   .       .       .  165 

XC.  The  Quarrel  of  Njal's  Sons  with  Thrain  Sigfus'  Son   .  166 

XCI.  Thrain  Sigfus'  Son's  Slaying       .....  170 

XCII.  Kettle  takes  Hauskuld  a's  his  Foster-Son     .       .       .  175 

XCIII.  Njal  takes  Hauskuld  to  Foster   176 

XCIV.  Of  Flosi  Thord's  Son   177 

XCV.  Of  Hall  of  the  Side   177 

XCVI.  Of  the  Change  of  Faith   178 

XCVII.  Of  Thangbrand's  Journeys   179 

XCVIII.  Of  Thangbrand  and  Gudleif   180 

XCIX.  Of  Gest  Oddleif's  Son   183 

C.  Of  Gizur  the  White  and  Hjallti   185 

CI.  Of  Thorgeir  of  Lightwater   186 

CII.  The  Wedding  of  Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness  .  187 
CIII.  The  Slaying  of  Hauskuld  Njal's  Son   .       .       .  .191 

CIV.  The  Slaying  of  Lyting's  Brothers       ....  195 

CV.  Of  Amund  the  Blind   197 

CVI.  Of  Valgard  the  Guileful   198 

CVII.  Of  Mord  and  Njal's  Sons     .       .       .  ,    .       .  .199 
CVIII.  Of  the  Slander  of  Mord  Valgard's  Son        .       .  .200 

CIX.  Of  Mord  and  Njal's  Sons   203 

CX.  The  Slaying  of  Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness      .  203 

CXI.  Of  Hildigunna  and  Mord  Valgard's  Son      .       .       .  205 

CXII.  The  Pedigree  of  Gudmund  the  Powerful      .       .       .  206  ' 
CXIII.  Of  Snorri  the  Priest  and  his  Stock       .       .       .  .207 

^CXIV.  Of  Flosi  Thord's  Son   207 

CXV.  Of  Flosi  and  Hildigunna   209 

CXVI.  Of  Flosi  and  Mord  and  the  Sons  of  Sigfus  .       .  .211 

CXVII.  Njal  and  Skarphedinn  Talk  Together  ....  213 

CXVIII.  Asgrim  and  Njal's  Sons  pray  Men  for  Help        .       .  214 
CXIX.  Of  Skarphedinn  and  Thorkel  Foulmouth     .       .  .219 

CXX.  Of  the  Pleading  of  the  Suit   221 

CXXI.  Of  the  Award  of  Atonement  between  Flosi  and  Njal   .  223 

CXXII.  Of  the  Judges   225 

CXXIII.  An  Attack  planned  on  Njal  and  his  Sons     .       .       .  228 

CXXIV.  Of  Portents   232 

CXXV.  Flosi's  Journey  from  Home   232 

CXXVI.  Of  Portents  at  Bergthorsknoll   233 

CXXVII.  The  Onslaught  on  Bergthorsknoll       .       .       .  .235 

— CXXVIII.  Njal's  Burning   237 

CXXIX.  Skarphedinn's  Death   241 

'  CXXX.  Of  Kari  Solmund's  Son   245 

CXXXI.  Njal's  and  Bergthora's  Bones  Found  ....  248 

^-CXXXII.  Flosi's  Dream   251 

,       CXXXIII.  Of  Flosi's  Journey  and  his  Asking  for  Help        .       .  252 

1       CXXXIV.  Of  Thorhall  and  Kari   256 

CXXXV.  Of  Flosi  and  the  Burners   260 

*       CXXX VI.  Of  Thorgeir  Craggeir   262 

1      CXXXVII.  Of  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  Son   262 


xlvi 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

CXXXVIII.  Of  Asgrim,  and  Gizur,  and  Kari   267 

CXXXIX.  Of  Asgrim  and  Gudmund   270 

CXL.  Of  the  Declarations  of  the  Suits   271 

CXLI.  Now  Men  go  to  the  Courts   274 

CXLII.  Of  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  Son   284 

CXLIII.  The  Counsel  of  Thorhall  Asgrim's  Son       .       .       .  285 

CXLIV.  Battle  at  the  Althing   290 

CXLV.  Of  Kari  and  Thorgeir  .......  299 

CXLVI.  The  Award  of  Atonement  with  Thorgeir  Craggeir      .  303 

■  CXLVII.  Kari  comes  to  Bjorn's  House  in  the  Mark   .       .       .  305 

~  CXLVIII.  Of  Flosi  and  the  Burners   307 

.  -  CXLIX.  Of  Kari  and  Bjorn   309 

CL.  More  of  Kari  and  Bjorn   312 

CLI.  Of  Kari,  and  Bjorn,  and  Thorgeir       ....  315 

CLII.  Flosi  goes  Abroad   317 

CLIII.  Kari  goes  Abroad        .    318 

CLIV.  Gunnar  Lambi's  Son's  Slaying    .....  320 

*    ~  CLV.  Of  Signs  and  Wonders   323 

-  —    CLVI.  Brian's  Battle      .       .   324 

CLVII.  The  Slaying  of  Kol  Thorstein's  Son    ....  330 

CLVIII.  Of  Flosi  and  Kari   332 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

CHAPTER  I. 

OF  FIDDLE  MORD. 

There  was  a  man  named  Mord  whose  surname  was  Fiddle  ; 
he  was  the  son  of  Sigvat  the  Red,  and  he  dwelt  at  the 
"  Vale"  in  the  Rangrivervales.  He  was  a  mighty  chief,  and 
a  great  taker  up  of  suits,  and  so  great  a  lawyer  that  no 
judgments  were  thought  lawful  unless  he  had  a  hand  in  them. 
He  had  an  only  daughter,  named  Unna.  She  was  a  fair, 
courteous  and  gifted  woman,  and  that  was  thought  the  best 
match  in  all  the  Rangrivervales. 

Now  the  story  turns  westward  to  the  Broadfirth  dales, 
where,  at  Hauskuldstede,  in  Laxriverdale,  dwelt  a  man  named 
Hauskuld,  who  was  Dalakoll's  son,  and  his  mother's  name 
was  Thorgerda.  He  had  a  brother  named  Hrut,  who  dwelt 
at  Hrutstede  ;  he  was  of  the  same  mother  as  Hauskuld,  but 
his  father's  name  was  Heriolf.  Hrut  was  handsome,  tall  and 
strong,  well  skilled  in  arms,  and  mild  of  temper ;  he  was  one 
of  the  wisest  of  men — stern  towards  his  foes,  but  a  good 
counsellor  on  great  matters.  It  happened  once  that  Hauskuld 
bade  his  friends  to  a  feast,  and  his  brother  Hrut  was  there, 
and  sat  next  him.  Hauskuld  had  a  daughter  named  Hall- 
gerda,  who  was  playing  on  the  floor  with  some  other  girls. 
She  was  fair  of  face  and  tall  of  growth,  and  her  hair  was  as 
soft  as  silk  ;  it  was  so  long,  too,  that  it  came  down  to  her 
waist.  Hauskuld  called  out  to  her,  "  Come  hither  to  me, 
daughter  ".  So  she  went  up  to  him,  and  he  took  her  by  the 
chin,  and  kissed  her ;  and  after  that  she  went  away. 

Then  Hauskuld  said  to  Hrut,  "What  dost  thou  think  of 
this  maiden  ?  Is  she  not  fair  ?  "  Hrut  held  his  peace.  Haus- 
kuld said  the  same  thing  to  him  a  second  time,  and  then 
Hrut  answered,  "  Fair  enough  is  this  maid,  and  many  will 

1 


•> 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


smart  for  it,  but  this  I  know  not,  whence  thief  s  eyes  have 
come  into  our  race ":  Then  Hauskuld  was  wroth,  and  for 
a  time  the  brothers  saw  little  of  each  other. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HRUT  WOOS  UNNA. 

It  happened  once  that  those  brothers,  Hauskuld  and  Hrut, 
rode  to  the  Althing,  and  there  was  much  people  at  it.  Then 
Hauskuld  said  to  Hrut,  "  One  thing  I  wish,  brother,  and  that 
is,  that  thou  wouldst  better  thy  lot  and  woo  thyself  a  wife 

Hrut  answered,  "  That  has  been  long  on  my  mind, 
though  there  always  seemed  to  be  two  sides  to  the  matter ; 
but  now  I  will  do  as  thou  wishest ;  whither  shall  we  turn  our 
eyes  ?  " 

Hauskuld  answered,  "  Here  now  are  many  chiefs  at  the 
Thing,  and  there  is  plenty  of  choice,  but  I  have  already  set 
my  eyes  on  a  spot  where  a  match  lies  made  to  thy  hand. 
The  woman's  name  is  Unna,  and  she  is  a  daughter  of  Fiddle 
Mord  one  of  the  wisest  of  men.  He  is  here  at  the  Thing,  and 
his  daughter  too,  and  thou  mayest  see  her  if  it  pleases  thee." 

Now  the  next  day,  when  men  were  going  to  the  High 
Court,  they  saw  some  well-dressed  women  standing  outside 
the  booths  of  the  men  from  the  Rangrivervales.  Then  Haus- 
kuld said  to  Hrut — 

"  Yonder  now  is  Unna,  of  whom  I  spoke  ;  what  thinkest 
thou  of  her  ?  " 

"  Well/'  answered  Hrut ;  "  but  yet  I  do  not  know  whether 
we  should  get  on  well  together." 

After  that  they  went  to  the  High  Court,  where  Fiddle 
Mord  was  laying  down  the  law  as  was  his  wont,  and  after  he 
had  done  he  went  home  to  his  booth. 

Then  Hauskuld  and  Hrut  rose,  and  went  to  Mord's  booth. 
They  went  in  and  found  Mord  sitting  in  the  innermost  part 
of  the  booth,  and  they  bade  him  "  good  day".  He  rose  to 
meet  them,  and  took  Hauskuld  by  the  hand  and  made  him  sit 
down  by  his  side,  and  Hrut  sat  next  to  Hauskuld.  So  after 
they  had  talked  much  of  this  and  that,  at  last  Hauskuld  said, 
"  I  have  a  bargain  to  speak  f  o  thee  about ;  Hrut  wishes  to 


\ 


HRUT  WOOS  UNNA. 


3 


become  thy  son-in-law,  and  buy  thy  daughter,  and  I,  for  my 
[    part,  will  not  be  sparing  in  the  matter  ". 

Mord  answered,  "  I  know  that  thou  art  a  great  chief,  but 
thy  brother  is  unknown  to  me  ". 

"He  is  a  better  man  than  I,"  answered  Hauskuld. 

"Thou  wilt  need  to  lay  down  a  large  sum  with  him,  for 
she  is  heir  to  all  I  leave  behind  me/'  said  Mord. 

"There  is  no  need,"  said  Hauskuld,  "to  wait  long  before 
thou  hearest  what  I  give  my  word  he  shall  have.  He  shall 
hfcve  Kamness  and  Hrutstede,  up  as  far  as  Thrandargil,  and 
a  trading-ship  beside,  now  on  her  voyage." 

Then  said  Hrut  to  Mord,  "Bear  in  mind,  now,  husband, 
that  my  brother  has  praised  me  much  more  than  I  deserve 
for  love's  sake ;  but  if  after  what  thou  hast  heard,  thou  wilt 
make  the  match,  I  am  willing  to  let  thee  lay  down  the  terms 
thyself". 

Mord  answered,  "  I  have  thought  over  the  terms  ;  she  shall 
have  sixty  hundreds  down,  and  this  sum  shall  be  increased  by 
a  third  more  in  thine  house,  but  if  ye  two  have  heirs,  ye  shall 
go  halves  in  the  goods  ". 

Then  said  Hrut,  "  I  agree  to  these  terms,  and  now  let  us 
take  witness".  After  that  they  stood  up  and  shook  hands, 
and  Mord  betrothed  his  daughter  Unna  to  Hrut,  and  the 
bridal  feast  was  to  be  at  Mord's  house,  half  a  month  after 
Midsummer. 

Now  both  sides  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  Hauskuld 
and  Hrut  ride  westward  by  Hallbjorn's  beacon.  Then  Thio- 
stolf,  the  son  of  Biorn  Gullbera  of  Reykiardale,  rode  to  meet 
them,  and  told  them  how  a  ship  had  come  out  from  Norway 
to  the  White  River,  and  how  aboard  of  her  was  Auzur,  Hrut's 
father's  brother,  and  he  wished  Hrut  to  come  to  him  as  soon 
as^ver  he  could.  When  Hrut  heard  this,  he  asked  Hauskuld 
to  go  with  him  to  the  ship,  so  Hauskuld  went  with  his 
brother,  and  when  they  reached  the  ship,  Hrut  gave  his 
kinsman  Auzur  a  kind  and  hearty  welcome.  Auzur  asked 
them  into  his  booth  to  drink,  so  their  horses  were  unsaddled, 
and  they  went  in  and  drank,  and  while  they  were  drinking, 
Hrut  said  to  Auzur,  "  Now,  kinsman,  thou  must  ride  west 
with  me,  and  stay  with  me  this  winter." 

"  That  cannot  be,  kinsman,  for  I  have  to  tell  thee  the 
h  of  thy  brother  Eyvind,  and  he  has  left  thee  his  heir 
lie  Gula  Thing,  and  now  thy  foes  will  seize  thy  heritage, 
ss  thou  comest  to  claim  it." 


4       THE  STOEY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

"What's  to  be  done  now,  brother?  "  said  Hrut  to  Haus- 
kuld, "for  this  seems  a  hard  matter,  coming  just  as  I  have 
fixed  my  bridal  day/' 

"Thou  must  ride  south/'  said  Hauskuld,  "and  see  Mord, 
and  ask  him  to  change  the  bargain  which  ye  two  have  made, 
and  to  let  his  daughter  sit  for  thee  three  winters  as  thy 
betrothed,  but  I  will  ride  home  and  bring  down  thy  wares 
to  the  ship." 

Then  said  Hrut,  "  My  wish  is  that  thou  shouldest  take 
meal  and  timber,  and  whatever  else  thou  needest  out  of  the 
lading  So  Hrut  had  his  horses  brought  out,  and  he  rode 
south,  while  Hauskuld  rode  home  west.  Hrut  came  east  to 
the  Rangrivervales  to  Mord,  and  had  a  good  welcome,  and 
he  told  Mord  all  his  business,  and  asked  his  advice  what  he 
should  do. 

"  How  much  money  is  this  heritage  ? "  asked  Mord,  and 
Hrut  said  it  would  come  to  a  hundred  marks,  if  he  got  it  all. 

"Well,"  said  Mord,  "that  is  much  when  set  against  what 
I  shall  leave  behind  me,  and  thou  shalt  go  for  it,  if  thou 
wilt." 

After  that  they  broke  their  bargain,  and  Unna  was  to  sit 
waiting  for  Hrut  three  years  as  his  betrothed.  Now  Hrut 
rides  back  to  the  ship,  and  stays  by  her  during  the  summer, 
till  she  was  ready  to  sail,  and  Hauskuld  brought  down  all 
Hrut's  wares  and  money  to  the  ship,  and  Hrut  placed  all  his 
other  property  in  Hauskuld's  hands  to  keep  for  him  while  he 
was  away.  Then  Hauskuld  rode  home  to  his  house,  and  a 
little  while  after  they  got  a  fair  wind  and  sail  away  to  sea. 
They  were  out  three  weeks,  and  the  first  land  they  made  was 
Hern,  near  Bergen,  and  so  sail  eastward  to  the  Bay. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HRUT  AND  GUNNHILLDA,  KING'S  MOTHER. 

At  that  time  Harold  Grayfell  reigned  in  Norway ;  he  was  the 
son  of  Eric  Bloodaxe,  who  was  the  son  of  Harold  Fair-bair; 
his  mother's  name  was  Gunnhillda,  a  daughter  of  Auzur  Toti, 
and  they  had  their  abode  east,  at  the  King's  Crag.  Now  the 
news  was  spread,  how  a  ship  had  come  thither  east  into  the 


HRUT  AND  GUNNHILLDA.  b 


Bay,  aad  as  soon  as  Gunnhillda  heard  of  it,  she  asked  what 
men  from  Iceland  were  aboard,  and  they  told  her  Hrut  was 
the  man's  name,  Auzur's  brother's  son.  Then  Gunnhillda 
said,  "  I  see  plainly  that  he  means  to  claim  his  heritage,  but 
there  is  a  man  named  Soti,  who  has  laid  his  hands  on  it". 

After  that  she  called  her  waiting-man,  whose  name  was 
Augmund,  and  said — 

"I  am  going  to  send  thee  to  the  Bay  to  find  out  Auzur 
and  Hrut,  and  tell  them  that  I  ask  them  both  to  spend  this 
winter  with  me.  Say,  too,  that  I  will  be  their  friend,  and  if 
Hrut  will  carry  out  my  counsel,  I  will  see  after  his  suit,  and 
anything  else  he  takes  in  hand,  and  I  will  speak  a  good  word, 
too,  for  him  to  the  king." 

After  that  he  set  off  and  found  them  ;  and  as  soon  as 
they  knew  that  he  was  Gunnhillda's  servant,  they  gave  him 
good  welcome.  He  took  them  aside  and  told  them  his 
errand,  and  after  that  they  talked  over  their  plans  by  them- 
selves.   Then  Auzur  said  to  Hrut — 

u  Methinks,  kinsman,  here  is  little  need  for  long  talk,  our 
plans  are  ready  made  for  us  ;  for  I  know  Gunnhillda's  temper  ; 
as  soon  as  ever  we  say  we  will  not  go  to  her  she  will  drive  us 
out  of  the  land,  and  take  all  our  goods  by  force  ;  but  if  we  go 
to  her,  then  she  will  do  us  such  honour  as  she  has  promised." 

Augmund  went  home,  and  when  he  saw  Gunnhillda,  he 
told  her  how  his  errand  had  ended,  and  that  they  would 
come,  and  Gunnhillda  said — 

u  It  is  only  what  was  to  be  looked  for ;  for  Hrut  is  said  to 
be  a  wise  and  well-bred  man ;  and  now  do  thou  keep  a  sharp 
look  out,  and  tell  me  as  soon  as  ever  they  come  to  the  town." 

Hrut  and  Auzur  went  east  to  the  King's  Crag,  and  when 
they  reached  the  town,  their  kinsmen  and  friends  went  out 
to  meet  and  welcome  them.  They  asked,  whether  the  king 
were  in  the  town,  and  they  told  them  he  was.  After  that 
v,hey  met  Augmund,  and  he  brought  them  a  greeting  from 
Gunnhillda,  saying,  that  she  could  not  ask  them  to  her  house 
before  they  had  seen  the  king,  lest  men  should  say,  "  I  make 
too  much  of  them ".  Still  she  would  do  all  she  could  for 
them,  and  she  went  on,  "  tell  Hrut  to  be  out-spoken  before 
the  king,  and  to  ask  to  be  made  one  of  his  body-guard"; 
"and  here,"  said  Augmund,  "  is  a  dress  of  honour  which  she 
sends  to  thee,  Hrut,  and  in  it  thou  must  go  in  before  the 
king".    After  that  he  went  away. 

The  next  day  Hrut  said — 


/ 


j       THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Let  us  go  before  the  king/' 

"That  may  well  be/'  answered  Auzur. 

So  they  went,  twelve  of  them  together,  and  all  of  them 
friends  or  kinsmen,  and  came  into  the  hall  where  the  king  sat 
over  his  drink.  Hrut  went  first  and  bade  the  king  "  good 
day,"  and  the  king,  looking  steadfastly  at  the  man  who  was 
well-dressed,  asked  him  his  name.    So  he  told  his  name. 

"Art  thou  an  Icelander  ?"  said  the  king. 

He  answered,  "  Yes 

"  What  drove  thee  hither  to  seek  us  ?  " 

Then  Hrut  answered — 

"  To  see  your  state,  lord  ;  and,  besides,  because  I  have  a 
great  matter  of  inheritance  here  in  the  land,  and  I  shall  have 
need  of  your  help,  if  I  am  to  get  my  rights." 

The  king  said — 

"  I  have  given  my  word  that  every  man  shall  have  lawful 
justice  here  in  Norway ;  but  hast  thou  any  other  errand  in 
seeking  me  ?  " 

"  Lord !  "  said  Hrut,  "  I  wish  you  to  let  me  live  in  your 
court,  and  become  one  of  your  men." 

At  this  the  king  holds  his  peace,  but  Gunnhillda  said — 

"  It  seems  to  me  as  if  this  man  offered  you  the  greatest 
honour,  for  methinks  if  there  were  many  such  men  in  the 
body-guard,  it  would  be  well  filled." 

"  Is  he  a  wise  man  ?  "  asked  the  king. 

"  He  is  both  wise  and  willing,"  said  she. 

"  Well,"  said  the  king,  "  methinks  my  mother  wishes  that 
thou  shouldst  have  the  rank  for  which  thou  askest,  but  for 
the  sake  of  our  honour  and  the  custom  of  the  land,  come  to 
me  in  half  a  month's  time,  and  then  thou  shalt  be  made  one 
of  my  body-guard.  Meantime,  my  mother  will  take  care  of 
thee,  but  then  come  to  me." 

Then  Gunnhillda  said  to  Augmund — 

"  Follow  them  to  my  house,  and  treat  them  well." 

So  Augmund  went  out,  and  they  went  with  him,  and  he 
brought  them  to  a  hall  built  of  stone,  which  was  hung  with 
the  most  beautiful  tapestry,  and  there  too  was  Gunnhillda's 
high-seat. 

Then  Augmund  said  to  Hrut — 

"  Now  will  be  proved  the  truth  of  all  that  I  said  to  thee 
from  Gunnhillda.  Here  is  her  high-seat,  and  in  it  thou  shalt 
sit,  and  this  seat  thou  shalt  hold,  though  she  comes  herself 
into  the  hall." 


OF  HRUT'S  CRUISE.  7 


After  that  he  made  them  good  cheer,  and  they  had  sat 
down  but  a  little  while  when  Gunnhillda  came  in.  Hrut 
wished  to  jump  up  and  greet  her. 

"  Keep  thy  seat  !  "  she  says,  "and  keep  it  too  all  the  time 
thou  art  my  guest." 

Then  she  sat  herself  down  by  Hrut,  and  they  fell  to  drink, 
and  at  even  she  said — 

"  Thou  shalt  be  in  the  upper  chamber  with  me  to-night, 
and  we  two  together/' 

"You  shall  have  your  way,"  he  answers. 

After  that  they  went  to  sleep,  and  she  locked  the  door 
inside.  So  they  slept  that  night,  and  in  the  morning  fell  to 
drinking  again.  Thus  they  spent  their  life  all  that  half- 
month,  and  Gunnhillda  said  to  the  men  who  were  there — 

"  Ye  shall  lose  nothing  except  your  lives  if  you  say  to  any 
one  a  word  of  how  Hrut  and  I  are  going  on." 

[When  the  half-month  was  over]  Hrut  gave  her  a  hundred 
ells  of  household  woollen  and  twelve  rough  cloaks,  and  Gunn- 
hillda thanked  him  for  his  gifts.  Then  Hrut  thanked  her  and 
gave  her  a  kiss  and  went  away.  She  bade  him  "farewell". 
And  next  day  he  went  before  the  king  with  thirty  men  after 
him  and  bade  the  king  "good-day".    The  king  said — 

"  Now,  Hrut,  thou  wilt  wish  me  to  carry  out  towards  thee 
what  I  promised." 

So  Hrut  was  made  one  of  the  king's  body-guard,  and  he 
asked,  "  Where  shall  I  sit  ?  " 

"  My  mother  shall  settle  that,"  said  the  king. 

Then  she  got  him  a  seat  in  the  highest  room,  and  he  spent 
the  winter  with  the  king  in  much  honour. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OF  HRUT'S  CRUISE. 

When  the  spring  came  he  asked  about  Soti,  and  found  out  he 
had  gone  south  to  Denmark  with  the  inheritance.  Then  Hrut 
went  to  Gunnhillda  and  tells  her  what  Soti  had  been  about. 
Gunnhillda  said — 

"  I  will  give  thee  two  long-ships,  full  manned,  and  along 
with  them  the  bravest  men,  Wolf  the  Unwashed,  our  overseer 


8       THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


of  guests ;  but  still  go  and  see  the  king  before  thou  settest 
off." 

Hrut  did  so ;  and  when  he  came  before  the  king,  then  he 
told  the  king  of  Sotfs  doings,  and  how  he  had  a  mind  to  hold 
on  after  him. 

The  king  said,  "What  strength  has  my  mother  handed 
over  to  thee  ?  " 

"Two  long-ships  and  Wolf  the  Unwashed  to  lead  the 
men/'  says  Hrut. 

"Well  given,"  says  the  king.  "Now  I  will  give  thee 
other  two  ships,  and  even  then  thou'lt  need  all  the  strength 
thou'st  got." 

After  that  he  went  down  with  Hrut  to  the  ship,  and  said 
"  fare  thee  well Then  Hrut  sailed  away  south  with  his 
crews. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ATLI  ARNVID  SON'S  SLAYING. 

There  was  a  man  named  Atli,  son  of  Arnvid,  Earl  of  East 
Gothland.  He  had  kept  back  the  taxes  from  Hacon  Athel- 
stane's  foster  child,  and  both  father  and  son  had  fled  away 
from  Jemtland  to  Gothland.  After  that,  Atli  held  on  with 
his  followers  out  of  the  Maelar  by  Stocky  Sound,  and  so  on 
towards  Denmark,  and  now  he  lies  out  in  Oresound.1  He  is 
an  outlaw  both  of  the  Dane-King  and  of  the  Swede-King. 
Hrut  held  on  south  to  the  Sound,  and  when  he  came  into  it 
he  saw  many  ships  in  the  Sound.    Then  Wolf  said — 

"  What's  best  to  be  done  now,  Icelander  ?  " 

"  Hold  on  our  course/'  says  Hrut,  " '  for  nothing  venture, 
nothing  have My  ship  and  Auzurs  shall  go  first,  but  thou 
shalt  lay  thy  ship  where  thou  likest." 

"  Seldom  have  I  had  others  as  a  shield  before  me,"  says 
Wolf,  and  lays  his  galley  side  by  side  with  Hrut's  ship  ;  and 
so  they  hold  on  through  the  Sound.  Now  those  who  are  in 
the  Sound  see  that  ships  are  coming  up  to  them,  and  they 
tell  Atli. 

1  Oresound,  the  gut  between  Denmark  and  Sweden,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Baltic,  commonly  called  in  English,  The  Sound. 


ALTI  ARNVID  SON'S  SLAYING. 


He  answered,  "Then  maybe  there'll  be  gain  to  be  got" 

After  that  men  took  their  stand  on  board  each  ship  ;  u  L 
my  ship/'  says  Atli,  "shall  be  in  the  midst  of  the  fleet". 

Meantime  Hrut's  ships  ran  on,  and  as  soon  as  either  side 
could  hear  the  other's  hail,  Atli  stood  up  and  said — 

"Ye  fare  unwarily.  Saw  ye  not  that  war-ships  were  in 
the  Sound?    But  what's  the  name  of  your  chief?" 

Hrut  tells  his  name. 

"Whose  man  art  thou  ?  "  says  Atli. 

"  One  of  king  Harold  Gray  fell's  body-guard." 

Atli  said,  "  'Tis  long  since  any  love  was  lost  between  us, 
father  and  son,  and  your  Norway  kings  ". 

"Worse  luck  for  thee,"  says  Hrut. 

"Well,"  says  Atli,  "the  upshot  of  our  meeting  will  be, 
that  thou  shalt  not  be  left  alive  to  tell  the  tale  ; "  and  with 
that  he  caught  up  a  spear  and  hurled  it  at  Hrut's  ship,  and 
the  man  who  stood  before  it  got  his  death.  After  that  the 
battle  began,  and  they  were  slow  in  boarding  Hrut's  ship. 
Wolf,  he  went  well  forward,  and  with  him  it  was  now  cut, 
now  thrust.  Atli's  bowman's  name  was  Asolf ;  he  sprung  up 
on  Hrut's  ship,  and  was  four  men's  death  before  Hrut  was 
ware  of  him ;  then  he  turned  against  him,  and  when  they 
met,  Asolf  thrust  at  and  through  Hrut's  shield,  but  Hrut 
cuf  once  at  Asolf,  and  that  was  his  death-blow.  Wolf  the 
Unwashed  saw  that  stroke,  and  called  out — 

"  Truth  to  say,  Hrut,  thou  dealest  big  blows,  but  thou'st 
much  to  thank  Gunnhillda  for." 

"Something  tells  me,"  says  Hrut,  "that  thou  speakest 
with  a  'fey'  mouth." 

Now  Atli  sees  a  bare  place  for  a  weapon  on  Wolf,  and  shot 
a  spear  through  him,  and  now  the  battle  grows  hot :  Atli  leaps 
up  on  Hrut's  ship,  and  clears  it  fast  round  about,  and  now 
Auzur  turns  to  meet  him,  and  thrust  at  him,  but  fell  down 
full  length  on  his  back,  for  another  man  thrust  at  him.  Now 
Hrut  turns  to  meet  Atli :  he  cut  at  once  at  Hrut's  shield,  and 
clove  it  all  in  two,  from  top  to  point ;  just  then  Atli  got  a 
blow  on  his  hand  from  a  stone,  and  down  fell  his  sword. 
Hrut  caught  up  the  sword,  and  cut  his  foot  from  under  him. 
After  that  he  dealt  him  his  death-blow.  There  they  took 
much  goods,  and  brought  away  with  them  two  ships  which 
were  best,  and  stayed  there  only  a  little  while.  But  mean- 
time Soti  and  his  crew  had  sailed  past  them,  and  he  held  on 
his  course  back  to  Norway,  and  made  the  land  at  Limgard's 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


There  Soti  went  on  shore,  and  there  he  met  Augmund, 
runnhillda's  page  ;  he  knew  him  at  once,  and  asks — 

"  How  long  meanest  thou  to  be  here  ?  " 

"Three  nights,"  says  Soti. 

"  Whither  away,  then  ?  "  says  Augmund. 

"West,  to  England,"  says  Soti,  "and  never  to  come  back 
again  to  Norway  while  Gunnhillda's  rule  is  in  Norway." 

Augmund  went  away,  and  goes  and  finds  Gunnhillda,  for 
she  was  a  little  way  off,  at  a  feast,  and  Gudred,  her  son,  with 
her.  Augmund  told  Gunnhillda  what  Soti  meant  to  do,  and 
she  begged  Gudred  to  take  his  life.  So  Gudred  set  off  at 
once,  and  came  unawares  on  Soti,  and  made  them  lead  up 
the  country,  and  hang  him  there.  But  the  goods  he  took, 
and  brought  them  to  his  mother,  and  she  got  men  to  carry 
them  all  down  to  the  King's  Crag,  and  after  that  she  went 
thither  herself. 

Hrut  came  back  towards  autumn,  and  had  gotten  great 
store  of  goods.  He  went  at  once  to  the  king,  and  had  a 
hearty  welcome.  He  begged  them  to  take  whatever  they 
pleased  of  his  goods,  and  the  king  took  a  third.  Gunnhillda 
told  Hrut  how  she  had  got  hold  of  the  inheritance,  and  had 
Soti  slain.  He  thanked  her,  and  gave  her  half  of  all  he 
had. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

HRUT  SAILS  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

Hrut  stayed  with  the  king  that  winter  in  good  cheer,  but 
when  spring  came  he  grew  very  silent.    Gunnhillda  finds  that 
out,  and  said  to  him  when  they  two  were  alone  together — 
"  Art  thou  sick  at  heart  ?  " 

"  So  it  is,"  said  Hrut,  "  as  the  saying  runs — '  111  goes  it 
with  those  who  are  born  on  a  barren  land '." 
"  Wilt  thou  to  Iceland  ?  "  she  asks. 
"  Yes,"  he  answered. 

"  Hast  thou  a  wife  out  there  ? "  she  asked  ;  and  he 
answers,  "  No  ". 

"  But  I  am  sure  that  is  true,"  she  says  ;  and  so  they  ceased 
talking  about  the  matter. 


HRUT  SAILS  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 


[Shortly  after]  Hrut  went  before  the  king  and  bade  hin 
"good  day"  ;  and  the  king  said,  "What  dost  thou  want  now, 
Hrut  ?  " 

"  I  am  come  to  ask,  lord,  that  you  give  me  leave  to  go  to 
Iceland." 

"Will  thine  honour  be  greater  there  than  here?"  asks 
the  king. 

"  No,  it  will  not,"  said  Hrut ;  "but  every  one  must  win  the 
work  that  is  set  before  him." 

"  It  is  pulling  a  rope  against  a  strong  man,"  said  Gunn- 
hillda,  "so  give  him  leave  to  go  as  best  suits  him." 

There  was  a  bad  harvest  that  year  in  the  land,  yet 
Gunnhillda  gave  Hrut  as  much  meal  as  he  chose  to  have  ; 
and  now  he  busks  him  to  sail  out  to  Iceland,  and  Auzur  with 
him ;  and  when  they  were  all-boun,  Hrut  went  to  find  the 
king  and  Gunnhillda.  She  led  him  aside  to  talk  alone,  and 
said  to  him — 

"  Here  is  a  gold  ring  which  I  will  give  thee  ; "  and  with 
that  she  clasped  it  round  his  wrist. 

"  Many  good  gifts  have  I  had  from  thee,"  said  Hrut. 

Then  she  put  her  hands  round  his  neck  and  kissed  him, 
and  said — 

"  If  I  have  as  much  power  over  thee  as  I  think,  I  lay  this 
spell  on  thee  that  thou  mayest  never  have  any  pleasure  in 
living  with  that  woman  on  whom  thy  heart  is  set  in  Iceland, 
but  with  other  women  thou  mayest  get  on  well  enough,  and 
now  it  is  like  to  go  well  with  neither  of  us  ; — but  thou  hast 
not  believed  what  I  have  been  saying." 

Hrut  laughed  when  he  heard  that,  and  went  away  ;  after 
that  he  came  before  the  king  and  thanked  him  ;  and  the  king 
spoke  kindly  to  him,  and  bade  him  "  farewell ".  Hrut  went 
straight  to  his  ship,  and  they  had  a  fair  wind  all  the  way  until 
they  ran  into  Borgarfirth. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  was  made  fast  to  the  land,  Hrut  rode 
west  home,  but  Auzur  stayed  by  the  ship  to  unload  her,  and  lay 
her  up.  Hrut  rode  straight  to  Hauskuldstede,  and  Hauskuld 
gave  him  a  hearty  welcome,  and  Hrut  told  him  all  about  his 
travels.  After  that  they  sent  men  east  across  the  rivers  to  tell 
Fiddle  Mord  to  make  ready  for  the  bridal  feast ;  but  the  two 
brothers  rode  to  the  ship,  and  on  the  way  Hauskuld  told 
Hrut  how  his  money  matters  stood,  and  his  goods  had  gained 
much  since  he  was  away.    Then  Hrut  said — 

"  The  reward  is  less  worth  than  it  ought  to  be,  but  I  will 


THE  STORY  OF  BUENT  NJAL. 


ive  thee  as  much  meal  as  thou  needst  for  thy  household  next 
winter." 

Then  they  drew  the  ship  on  land  on  rollers,  and  made  her 
snug  in  her  shed,  but  all  the  wares  on  board  her  they  carried 
away  into  the  Dales  westward.  Hrut  stayed  at  home  at 
Hrutstede  till  winter  was  six  weeks  off,  and  then  the  brothers 
made  ready,  and  Auzur  with  them,  to  ride  to  Hrut's  wedding. 
Sixty  men  ride  with  them,  and  they  rode  east  till  they  came 
to  Rangriver  plains.  There  they  found  a  crowd  of  guests, 
and  the  men  took  their  seats  on  benches  down  the  length 
of  the  hall,  but  the  women  were  seated  on  the  cross  benches 
on  the  dais,  and  the  bride  was  rather  downcast.  So  they 
drank  out  the  feast  and  it  went  off  well.  Mord  pays 
down  his  daughter's  portion,  and  she  rides  west  with  her 
husband  and  his  train.  So  they  ride  till  they  reach  home. 
Hrut  gave  over  everything  into  her  hands  inside  the  house, 
and  all  were  pleased  at  that ;  but  for  all  that  she  and  Hrut 
did  not  pull  well  together  as  man  and  wife,  and  so  things 
went  on  till  spring,  and  when  spring  came  Hrut  had  a  journey 
to  make  to  the  Westfirths,  to  get  in  the  money  for  which  he 
had  sold  his  wares  ;  but  before  he  set  off  his  wife  says  to 
him — 

"  Dost  thou  mean  to  be  back  before  men  ride  to  the 
Thing  ?  " 

"  Why  dost  thou  ask  ?  "  said  Hrut. 

"  I  will  ride  to  the  Thing/'  she  said,  "  to  meet  my  father." 
"So  it  shall  be/'  said  he,  and  I  will  ride  to  the  Thing 
along  with  thee." 

"  Well  and  good,"  she  says. 

After  that  Hrut  rode  from  home  west  to  the  Firths,  got 
in  all  his  money,  and  laid  it  out  anew,  and  rode  home  again. 
When  he  came  home  he  busked  him  to  ride  to  the  Thing, 
and  made  all  his  neighbours  ride  with  him.  His  brother 
Hauskuld  rode  among  the  rest.  Then  Hrut  said  to  his 
wife — 

"If  thou  hast  as  much  mind  now  to  go  to  the  Thing  as 
thou  saidst  a  while  ago,  busk  thyself  and  ride  along  with  me." 

She  was  not  slow  in  getting  herself  ready,  and  then  they 
all  rode  to  the  Thing.  Unna  went  to  her  father's  booth,  and 
he  gave  her  a  hearty  welcome,  but  she  seemed  somewhat 
heavy-hearted,  and  when  he  saw  that  he  said  to  her — 

"1  have  seen  thee  with  a  merrier  face.  Hast  thou 
anything  on  thy  mind  ?  " 


UNNA  SEPARATES  FROM  HRUT.  13 


She  began  to  weep,  and  answered  nothing.  Then  he  said 
to  her  again,  "Why  dost  thou  ride  to  the  Thing,  if  thou 
wilt  not  tell  me  thy  secret  ?  Dost  thou  dislike  living  away 
there  in  the  west  ? " 

Then  she  answered  him — 

"  I  would  give  all  I  own  in  the  world  that  I  had  never 
gone  thither." 

"Well !"  said  Mord,  "  I'll  soon  get  to  the  bottom  of  this." 
Then  he  sends  men  to  fetch  Hauskuld  and  Hrut,  and  they 
came  straightway ;  and  when  they  came  in  to  see  Mord,  he 
rose  up  to  meet  them  and  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome, 
and  asked  them  to  sit  down.  Then  they  talked  a  long 
time  in  a  friendly  way,  and  at  last  Mord  said  to  Hauskuld — 

"Why  does  my  daughter  think  so  ill  of  life  in  the  west 
yonder  ? " 

"  Let  her  speak  out,"  said  Hrut,  "  if  she  has  anything  to 
lay  to  my  charge." 

But  she  brought  no  charge  against  him.  Then  Hrut 
made  them  ask  his  neighbours  and  household  how  he  treated 
her,  and  all  bore  him  good  witness,  saying  that  she  did  just 
as  she  pleased  in  the  house. 

Then  Mord  said,  "Home  thou  shalt  go,  and  be  content 
with  thy  lot ;  for  all  the  witness  goes  better  for  him  than 
for  thee  ". 

After  that  Hrut  rode  home  from  the  Thing,  and  his  wife 
with  him,  and  all  went  smoothly  between  them  that  summer  ; 
but  when  spring  came  it  was  the  old  story  over  again,  and 
things  grew  worse  and  worse  as  the  spring  went  on.  Hrut 
had  again  a  journey  to  make  west  to  the  Firths,  and  gave  out 
that  he  would  not  ride  to  the  Althing,  but  Unna  his  wife  said 
little  about  it.    So  Hrut  went  away  west  to  the  Firths. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

UNNA  SEPARATES  FROM  HRUT. 

Now  the  time  for  the  Thing  was  coming  on.  Unna  spoke  to 
Sigmund  Auzur's  son,  and  asked  if  he  would  ride  to  the 
Thing  with  her ;  he  said  he  could  not  ride  if  his  kinsman 
Hrut  set  his  face  against  it. 


14     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

"  Well ! "  says  she,  "  I  spoke  to  thee  because  I  have 
better  right  to  ask  this  from  thee  than  from  any  one  else." 

He  answered,  "  I  will  make  a  bargain  with  thee  :  thou 
must  promise  to  ride  back  west  with  me,  and  to  have  no 
underhand  dealings  against  Hrut  or  myself ". 

So  she  promised  that,  and  then  they  rode  to  the  Thing. 
Her  father  Mord  was  at  the  Thing,  and  was  very  glad  to  see 
her,  and  asked  her  to  stay  in  his  booth  while  the  Thing 
lasted,  and  she  did  so. 

"  Now,"  said  Mord,  "  what  hast  thou  to  tell  me  of  thy 
mate,  Hrut?" 

Then  she  sung  him  a  song,  in  which  she  praised  Hrut's 
liberality,  but  said  he  was  not  master  of  himself.  She  herself 
was  ashamed  to  speak  out. 

Mord  was  silent  a  short  time,  and  then  said — 

"Thou  hast  now  that  on  thy  mind  I  see,  daughter,  which 
thou  dost  not  wish  that  any  one  should  know  save  myself, 
and  thou  wilt  trust  to  me  rather  than  any  one  else  to  help 
thee  out  of  thy  trouble." 

Then  they  went  aside  to  talk,  to  a  place  where  none 
could  overhear  what  they  said ;  and  then  Mord  said  to  his 
daughter — 

"  Now  tell  me  all  that  is  between  you  two,  and  don't 
make  more  of  the  matter  than  it  is  worth." 

"  So  it  shall  be,"  she  answered,  and  sang  two  songs,  in 
which  she  revealed  the  cause  of  their  misunderstanding  ;  and 
when  Mord  pressed  her  to  speak  out,  she  told  him  how  she 
and  Hrut  could  not  live  together,  because  he  was  spell-bound, 
and  that  she  wished  to  leave  him. 

"Thou  didst  right  to  tell  me  all  this,"  said  Mord,  "and 
now  I  will  give  thee  a  piece  of  advice,  which  will  stand  thee 
in  good  stead,  if  thou  canst  carry  it  out  to  the  letter.  First 
of  all,  thou  must  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  by  that  time 
thy  husband  will  have  come  back,  and  will  be  .glad  to  see 
thee ;  thou  must  be  blithe  and  buxom  to  him,  and  he  will 
think  a  good  change  has  come  over  thee,  and  thou  must 
show  no  signs  of  coldness  or  ill-temper,  but  when  spring 
comes  thou  must  sham  sickness,  and  take  to  thy  bed.  Hrut 
will  not  lose  time  in  guessing  what  thy  sickness  can  be,  nor 
will  he  scold  thee  at  all,  but  he  will  rather  beg  every  one  to 
take  all  the  care  they  can  of  thee.  After  that  he  will  set  off 
west  to  the  Firths,  and  Sigmund  with  him,  for  he  will  have  to 
flit  all  his  goods  home  from  the  Firths  west,  and  he  will  be 


MOED  CLAIMS  GOODS  FROM  HRUT.  15 


away  till  the  summer  is  far  spent.  But  when  men  ride  to  the 
Thing,  and  after  all  have  ridden  from  the  Dales  that  mean  to 
ride  thither,  then  thou  must  rise  from  thy  bed  and  summon 
men  to  go  along  with  thee  to  the  Thing ;  and  when  thou  art 
all-boun,  then  shalt  thou  go  to  thy  bed,  and  the  men  with 
thee  who  are  to  bear  thee  company,  and  thou  shalt  take  wit- 
ness before  thy  husband's  bed,  and  declare  thyself  separated 
from  him  by  such  a  lawful  separation  as  may  hold  good 
according  to  the  judgment  of  the  Great  Thing,  and  the  laws 
of  the  land  ;  and  at  the  man's  door  [the  main  door  of  the 
house]  thou  shalt  take  the  same  witness.  After  that  ride 
away,  and  ride  over  Laxriverdale  Heath,  and  so  on  over 
Holtbeacon  Heath ;  for  they  will  look  for  thee  by  way  of 
Hrutfirth.  And  so  ride  on  till  thou  comest  to  me  ;  then  I 
will  see  after  the  matter.  But  into  his  hands  thou  shalt 
never  come  more/' 

Now  she  rides  home  from  the  Thing,  and  Hrut  had  come 
back  before  her,  and  made  her  hearty  welcome.  She  answered 
him  kindly,  and  was  blithe  and  forbearing  towards  him.  So 
they  lived  happily  together  that  half-year  ;  but  when  spring 
came  she  fell  sick,  and  kept  her  bed.  Hrut  set  off  west  to 
the  Firths,  and  bade  them  tend  her  well  before  he  went. 
Now,  when  the  time  for  the  Thing  comes,  she  busked  herself 
to  ride  away,  and  did  in  every  way  as  had  been  laid  down  for 
her  ;  and  then  she  rides  away  to  the  Thing.  The  country  folk 
looked  for  her,  but  could  not  find  her.  Mord  made  his 
daughter  welcome,  and  asked  her  if  she  had  followed  his 
advice  ;  and  she  says,  "  I  have  not  broken  one  tittle  of  it ". 

Then  she  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  declared  herself 
separated  from  Hrut ;  and  men  thought  this  strange  news. 
Unna  went  home  with  her  father,  and  never  went  west  from 
that  day  forward. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MORD  CLAIMS  HIS  GOODS  FROM  HRUT. 

Hrut  came  home,  and  knit  his  brows  when  he  heard  his  wife 
was  gone,  but  yet  kept  his  feelings  well  in  hand,  and  stayed 
at  home  all  that  half-year,  and  spoke  to  no  one  on  the  matter. 
Next  summer  he  rode  to  the  Thing,  with  his  brother  Hauskuld, 


16     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


and  they  had  a  great  following.  But  when  he  came  to  the 
Thing,  he  asked  whether  Fiddle  Mord  were  at  the  Thing,  and 
they  told  him  he  was ;  and  all  thought  they  would  come  to 
words  at  once  about  their  matter,  but  it  was  not  so.  At  last, 
one  day  when  the  brothers  and  others  who  were  at  the  Thing 
went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  Mord  took  witness  and  declared 
that  he  had  a  money-suit  against  Hrut  for  his  daughter's 
dower,  and  reckoned  the  amount  at  ninety  hundreds  in  goods, 
calling  on  Hrut  at  the  same  time  to  pay  and  hand  it  over  to 
him,  and  asking  for  a  fine  of  three  marks.  He  laid  the  suit 
in  the  Quarter  Court,  into  which  it  would  come  by  law,  and 
gave  lawful  notice,  so  that  all  who  stood  on  the  Hill  of  Laws 
might  hear. 

But  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  Hrut  said — 

"Thou  hast  undertaken  this  suit,  which  belongs  to  thy 
daughter,  rather  for  the  greed  of  gain  and  love  of  strife  than 
in  kindliness  and  manliness.  But  I  shall  have  something  to 
say  against  it ;  for  the  goods  which  belong  to  me  are  not  yet 
in  thy  hands.  Now,  what  I  have  to  say  is  this,  and  I  say  it 
out,  so  that  all  who  hear  me  on  this  hill  may  bear  witness :  I 
challenge  thee  to  fight  on  the  island ;  there  on  one  side  shall 
be  laid  all  thy  daughter's  dower,  and  on  the  other  I  will  lay 
down  goods  worth  as  much,  and  whoever  wins  the  day  shall 
have  both  dower  and  goods ;  but  if  thou  wilt  not  fight  with 
me,  then  thou  shalt  give  up  all  claim  to  these  goods." 

Then  Mord  held  his  peace,  and  took  counsel  with  his 
friends  about  going  to  fight  on  the  island,  and  Jorund  the 
priest  gave  him  an  answer. 

"There  is  no  need  for  thee  to  come  to  ask  us  for  counsel 
in  this  matter,  for  thou  knowest  if  thou  fightest  with  Hrut 
thou  wilt  lose  both  life  and  goods.  He  has  a  good  cause, 
and  is  besides  mighty  in  himself  and  one  of  the  boldest  of 
men." 

Then  Mord  spoke  out,  that  he  would  not  fight  with  Hrut, 
and  there  arose  a  great  shout  and  hooting  on  the  hill,  and 
Mord  got  the  greatest  shame  by  his  suit. 

After  that  men  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  those 
brothers  Hauskuld  and  Hrut  ride  west  to  Reykiardale,  and 
turned  in  as  guests  at  Lund,  where  Thiostolf,  Biorn  Gullbera's 
son,  then  dwelt.  There  had  been  much  rain  that  day,  and 
men  got  wet,  so  long-fires  were  made  down  the  length  of  the 
hall.  Thiostolf,  the  master  of  the  house,  sat  between  Haus- 
kuld and  Hrut,  and  two  boys,  of  whom  Thiostolf  had  the 


THOHWALD  GETS  HALLGERDA.  17 


rearing,  were  playing  on  the  floor,  and  a  girl  was  playing  with 
them.  They  were  great  chatterboxes,  for  they  were  too  young 
to  know  better.    So  one  of  them  said — 

"  Now,  I  y  ill  be  Mord,  and  summon  thee  to  lose  thy  wife 
because  thou  hast  not  been  a  good  husband  to  her." 

Then  the  other  answered — 

u  I  will  be  Hrut,  and  I  call  on  thee  to  give  up  all  claim 
to  thy  goods,  if  thou  darest  not  to  fight  with  me." 

This  they  said  several  times,  and  all  the  household  burst 
out  laughing.  Then  Hauskuld  got  wroth,  and  struck  the  boy 
who  called  himself  Mord  with  a  switch,  and  the  blow  fell  on 
his  face,  and  grazed  the  skin. 

"Get  out  with  thee,"  said  Hauskuld  to  the  boy,  "and 
make  no  game  of  us ; "  but  Hrut  said,  "  Come  hither  to  me," 
and  the  boy  did  so.  Then  Hrut  drew  a  ring  from  his  finger 
and  gave  it  to  him,  and  said — 

"Go  away,  and  try  no  man's  temper  henceforth." 

Then  the  boy  went  away  saying — 

"Thy  manliness  I  will  bear  in  mind  all  my  life." 

From  this  matter  Hrut  got  great  praise,  and  after  that  they 
went  home ;  and  that  was  the  end  of  Mord's  and  Hrut's 
quarrel. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THORWALD  GETS  HALLGERDA  TO  WIFE. 

Now,  it  must  be  told  how  Hallgerda,  Hauskuld' s  daughter, 
grows  up,  and  is  the  fairest  of  women  to  look  on ;  she  was  tall 
of  stature,  too,  and  therefore  she  was  called  "Longcoat ".  She 
was  fair-haired,  and  had  so  much  of  it  that  she  could  hide  her- 
self in  it ;  but  she  was  lavish  and  hard-hearted.  Her  foster- 
father's  name  was  Thiostolf ;  he  was  a  Southislander 1  by 
stock ;  he  was  a  strong  man,  well  skilled  in  arms,  and  had 
slain  many  men,  and  made  no  atonement  in  money  for  one 
of  them.  It  was  said,  too,  that  his  rearing  had  not  bettered 
Hallgerda' s  temper. 

There  was  a  man  named  Thorwald ;  he  was  Oswif's  son, 

1  That  is,  he  came  from  what  we  call  the  Western  Isles  or  Hebrides.  The 
old  appellation  still  lingers  in  "  Sodor  {i.e.,  the  South  Isles)  and  Man  ". 

2 


18     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

and  dwelt  out  on  Middlefells  strand,  under  the  Fell.  He  was 
rich  and  well  to  do,  and  owned  the  islands  called  Bear-isles, 
which  lie  out  in  Broadfirth,  whence  he  got  meal  and  stock 
fish.  This  Thorwald  was  a  strong  and  courteou.  man,  though 
somewhat  hasty  in  temper.  Now,  it  fell  out  one  day  that 
Thorwald  and  his  father  were  talking  together  of  ThorwakTs 
marrying,  and  where  he  had  best  look  for  a  wife,  and  it  soon 
came  out  that  he  thought  there  wasn't  a  match  fit  for  him  far 
or  near. 

"Well,"  said  Oswif,  "wilt  thou  ask  for  Hallgerda  Long- 
coat,  Hauskuld's  daughter  ?  "  • 

"  Yes  !  I  will  ask  for  her,"  said  Thorwald. 

"But  that  is  not  a  match  that  will  suit  either  of  you," 
Oswif  went  on  to  say,  "  for  she  has  a  will  of  her  own,  and  thou 
art  stern-tempered  and  unyielding/' 

"For  all  that  J  will  try  my  luck  there,"  said  Thorwald, 
"  so  it's  no  good  trying  to  hinder  me." 

"Ay ! "  said  Oswif,  "and  the  risk  is  all  thine  own." 

After  that  they  set  off  on  a  wooing  journey  to  Hauskuld- 
stede,  and  had  a  hearty  welcome.  They  were  not  long  in 
telling  Hauskuld  their  business,  and  began  to  woo ;  then 
Hauskuld  answered — 

"  As  for  you,  I  know  how  you  both  stand  in  the  world,  but 
for  my  own  part  I  will  use  no  guile  towards  you.  My  daughter 
has  a  hard  temper,  but  as  to  her  looks  and  breeding  you  can 
both  see  for  yourselves." 

"  Lay  down  the  terms  of  the  match,"  answered  Thorwald, 
"for  I  will  not  let  her  temper  stand  in  the  way  of  our 
bargain." 

Then  they  talked  over  the  terms  of  the  bargain,  and  Haus- 
kuld never  asked  his  daughter  what  she  thought  of  it,  for  his 
heart  was  set  on  giving  her  away,  and  so  they  came  to  an 
understanding  as  to  the  terms  of  the  match.  After  that  Thor- 
wald betrothed  himself  to  Hallgerda,  and  rode  away  home 
when  the  matter  was  settled. 


HALLGEKDA'S  WEDDING.  19 


CHAPTER  X. 

HALLGERDA'S  WEDDING. 

Hauskuld  told  Hallgerda  of  the  bargain  he  had  made,  and  she 
said — 

"Now  that  has  been  put  to  the  proof  which  I  have  all 
along  been  afraid  of,  that  thou  lovest  me  not  so  much  as  thou 
art  always  saying,  when  thou  hast  not  thought  it  worth  while 
to  tell  me  a  word  of  all  this  matter.  Besides,  I  do  not  think 
this  match  so  good  a  one  as  thou  hast  always  promised  me." 

So  she  went  on,  and  let  them  know  in  every  way  that  she 
thought  she  was  thrown  away. 

Then  Hauskuld  said — 

"  I  do  not  set  so  much  store  by  thy  pride  as  to  let  it  stand 
in  the  way  of  my  bargains ;  and  my  will,  not  thine,  shall 
carry  the  day  if  we  fall  out  on  any  point." 

"  The  pride  of  all  you  kinsfolk  is  great/'  she  said,  "  and 
so  it  is  not  wonderful  if  I  have  some  of  it." 

With  that  she  went  away,  and  found  her  foster-father 
Thiostolf,  and  told  him  what  was  in  store  for  her,  and  was 
very  heavy-hearted.    Then  Thiostolf  said — 

"  Be  of  good  cheer,  for  thou  wilt  be  married  a  second  time, 
and  then  they  will  ask  thee  what  thou  thinkest  of  the  match  ; 
for  I  will  do  in  all  things  as  thou  wishest,  except  in  what 
touches  thy  father  or  Hrut." 

After  that  they  spoke  no  more  of  the  matter,  and  Haus- 
kuld made  ready  the  bridal  feast,  and  rode  off  to  ask  men  to 
it.  So  he  came  to  Hrutstede  and  called  Hrut  out  to  speak 
with  him.  Hrut  went  out,  and  they  began  to  talk,  and  Haus- 
kuld told  him  the  whole  story  of  the  bargain,  and  bade  him 
to  the  feast,  saying — 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  know  that  thou  dost  not  feel  hurt 
though  I  did  not  tell  thee  when  the  bargain  was  being  made." 

"I  should  be  better  pleased,"  said  Hrut,  "to  have  nothing 
at  all  to  do  with  it ;  for  this  match  will  bring  luck  neither 
to  him  nor  to  her ;  but  still  I  will  come  to  the  feast  if  thou 
thinkest  it  will  add  any  honour  to  thee." 

"Of  course  I  think  so,"  said  Hauskuld,  and  rode  off  home. 

Oswif  and  Thorwald  also  asked  men  to  come,  so  that  no 
fewer  than  one  hundred  guests  were  asked. 


20     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


There  was  a  man  named  Swan,  who  dwelt  in  Bearfirth, 
which  lies  north  from  Steingrimsfirth.  This  Swan  was  a  great 
wizard,  and  he  was  Hallgerda's  mother's  brother.  He  was 
quarrelsome,  and  hard  to  deal  with,  but  Hallgerda  asked  him 
to  the  feast,  and  sends  Thiostolf  to  him  ;  so  he  went,  and  it 
soon  got  to  friendship  between  him  and  Swan. 

Now  men  come  to  the  feast,  and  Hallgerda  sat  upon  the 
cross-bench,  and  she  was  a  very  merry  bride.  Thiostolf  was 
always  talking  to  her,  though  he  sometimes  found  time  to 
speak  to  Swan,  and  men  thought  their  talking  strange.  The 
feast  went  off  well,  and  Hauskuld  paid  down  Hallgerda's 
portion  with  the  greatest  readiness.  After  he  had  done  that, 
he  said  to  Hrut — 

"  Shall  I  bring  out  any  gifts  beside  ?  " 

"The  day  will  come/'  answered  Hrut,  "when  thou  wilt 
have  to  waste  thy  goods  for  Hallgerda's  sake,  so  hold  thy 
hand  now." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THORWALD'S  SLAYING. 

Thorwald  rode  home  from  the  bridal  feast,  and  his  wife  with 
him,  and  Thiostolf,  who  rode  by  her  horse's  side,  and  still 
talked  to  her  in  a  low  voice.  Oswif  turned  to  his  son  and 
said — 

"  Art  thou  pleased  with  thy  match  ?  and  how  went  it  when 
ye  talked  together  ?  " 

"Well,"  said  he,  "she  showed  all  kindness  to  me.  Thou 
mightst  see  that  by  the  way  she  laughs  at  every  word  I  say." 

"  I  don't  think  her  laughter  so  hearty  as  thou  dost," 
answered  Oswif,  "but  this  will  be  put  to  the  proof  by  and  by." 

So  they  ride  on  till  they  come  home,  and  at  night  she 
took  her  seat  by  her  husband's  side,  and  made  room  for  Thio- 
stolf next  herself  on  the  inside.  Thiostolf  and  Thorwald  had 
little  to  do  with  each  other,  and  few  words  were  thrown  away 
between  them  that  winter,  and  so  time  went  on.  Hallgerda 
was  prodigal  and  grasping,  and  there  was  nothing  that  any  of 
their  neighbours  had  that  she  must  not  have  too,  and  all  that 
she  had,  no  matter  whether  it  were  her  own  or  belonged  to 
others,  she  wasted.    But  when  the  spring  came  there  was  a 


THORWALD'S  SLAYING.  21 


scarcity  in  the  house,  both  of  meal  and  stock  fish,  so  Hallgerda 
went  up  to  Thorwald  and  said — 

"Thou  must  not  be  sitting  in-doors  any  longer,  for  we 
want  for  the  house  both  meal  and  fish/' 

"Well/'  said  Thorwald,  "I  did  not  lay  in  less  for  the 
house  this  year  than  I  laid  in  before,  and  then  it  used  to  last 
till  summer." 

"What  care  I"  said  Hallgerda,  "if  thou  and  thy  father 
have  made  your  money  by  starving  yourselves/' 

Then  Thorwald  got  angry  and  gave  her  a  blow  on  the  face 
and  drew  blood,  and  went  away  and  called  his  men  and  ran 
the  skiff  down  to  the  shore.  Then  six  of  them  jumped  into 
her  and  rowed  out  to  the  Bear-isles,  and  began  to  load  her 
with  meal  and  fish. 

Meantime  it  is  said  that  Hallgerda  sat  out  of  doors  heavy 
at  heart.  Thiostolf  went  up  to  her  and  saw  the  wound  on  her 
face,  and  said — 

"  Who  has  been  playing  thee  this  sorry  trick  ?  " 

"  My  husband  Thorwald,"  she  said,  "and  thou  stoodst  aloof, 
though  thou  wouldst  not  if  thou  hadst  cared  at  all  for  me." 

"Because  I  knew  nothing  about  it,"  said  Thiostolf,  "but 
I  will  avenge  it." 

Then  he  went  away  down  to  the  shore  and  ran  out  a  six- 
oared  boat,  and  held  in  his  hand  a  great  axe  that  he  had  with 
a  haft  overlaid  with  iron.  He  steps  into  the  boat  and  rows 
out  to  the  Bear-isles,  and  when  he  got  there  all  the  men  had 
rowed  away  but  Thorwald  and  his  followers,  and  he  stayed  by 
the  skiff  to  load  her,  while  they  brought  the  goods  down  to 
him.  So  Thiostolf  came  up  just  then  and  jumped  into  the 
skiff,  and  began  to  load  with  him,  and  after  a  while  he  said — 

"  Thou  canst  do  but  little  at  this  work,  and  that  little  thou 
dost  badly." 

"  Thinkest  thou  thou  canst  do  it  better?"  said  Thorwald. 

"  There's  one  thing  to  be  done  which  I  can  do  better  than 
thou,"  said  Thiostolf,  and  then  he  went  on — 

"  The  woman  who  is  thy  wife  has  made  a  bad  match,  and 
you  shall  not  live  much  longer  together." 

Then  Thorwald  snatched  up  a  fishing-knife  that  lay  by 
him,  and  made  a  stab  at  Thiostolf ;  he  had  lifted  his  axe  to 
his  shoulder  and  dashed  it  down.  It  came  on  Thorwald's  arm 
and  crushed  the  wrist,  but  down  fell  the  knife.  Then  Thio- 
stolf lifted  up  his  axe  a  second  time  and  gave  Thorwald  a  blow 
on  the  head,  and  he  fell  dead  on  the  spot. 


22     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THIOSTOLF'S  FLIGHT. 

While  this  was  going  on,  Thorwald's  men  came  down  with 
their  load,  but  Thiostolf  was  not  slow  in  his  plans.  He  hewed 
with  both  hands  at  the  gunwale  of  the  skiff  and  cut  it  down 
about  two  planks  ;  then  he  leapt  into  his  boat,  but  the  dark 
blue  sea  poured  into  the  skiff,  and  down  she  went  with  all  her 
freight.  Down  too  sank  Thorwald's  body,  so  that  his  men 
could  not  see  what  had  been  done  to  him,  but  they  knew  well 
enough  that  he  was  dead.  Thiostolf  rowed  away  up  the  firth, 
but  they  shouted  after  him  wishing  him  ill  luck.  He  made 
them  no  answer,  but  rowed  on  till  he  got  home,  and  ran  the 
boat  up  on  the  beach,  and  went  up  to  the  house  with  his  axe, 
all  bloody  as  it  was,  on  his  shoulder.  Hallgerda  stood  out  of 
doors,  and  said — 

"  Thine  axe  is  bloody  ;  what  hast  thou  done  ?  " 

"  I  have  done  now  what  will  cause  thee  to  be  wedded  a 
second  time." 

"  Thou  tellest  me  then  that  Thorwald  is  dead  ?  "  she  said. 

"So  it  is,"  said  he,  "and  now  look  out  for  my  safety." 

"  So  I  will,"  she  said  ;  "  I  will  send  thee  north  to  Bearfirth, 
to  Swanshol,  and  Swan,  my  kinsman,  will  receive  thee  with 
open  arms.  He  is  so  mighty  a  man  that  no  one  will  seek  thee 
thither." 

So  he  saddled  a  horse  that  she  had,  and  jumped  on  his 
back,  and  rode  off  north  to  Bearfirth,  to  Swanshol,  and  Swan 
received  him  with  open  arms,  and  said — 

"  That's  what  I  call  a  man  who  does  not  stick  at  trifles ! 
And  now  I  promise  thee  if  they  seek  thee  here,  they  shall  get 
nothing  but  the  greatest  shame." 

Now,  the  story  goes  back  to  Hallgerda,  and  how  she  be- 
haved. She  called  on  Liot  the  black,  her  kinsman,  to  go  with 
her,  and  bade  him  saddle  their  horses,  for  she  said — M I  will 
ride  home  to  my  father  ". 

While  he  made  ready  for  their  journey,  she  went  to  her 
chests  and  unlocked  them,  and  called  all  the  men  of  her  house 
about  her,  and  gave  each  of  them  some  gift  ;  but  they  all 
grieved  at  her  going.  Now  she  rides  home  to  her  father ;  and 
he  received  her  well,  for  as  yet  he  had  not  heard  the  news. 
But  Hrut  said  to  Hallgerda — 


THIOSTOLFS  FLIGHT. 


23 


u  Why  did  not  Thorwald  come  with  thee  ? "  and  she 
answered — 

"  He  is  dead." 

Then  said  Hauskuld — 

"  That  was  Thiostolf  s  doing  ?  " 

u  It  was/'  she  said. 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Hauskuld,  "  Hrut  was  not  far  wrong  when  he 
told  me  that  this  bargain  would  draw  mickle  misfortune  after 
it.  But  there's  no  good  in  troubling  one's  self  about  a  thing 
that's  done  and  gone." 

Now  the  story  must  go  back  to  Thorwald' s  mates,  how 
there  they  are,  and  how  they  begged  the  loan  of  a  boat  to  get 
to  the  mainland.  So  a  boat  was  lent  them  at  once,  and  they 
rowed  up  the  firth  to  Reykianess,  and  found  Oswif,  and  told 
him  these  tidings. 

He  said,  "  111  luck  is  the  end  of  ill  redes,  and  now  I  see 
how  it  has  all  gone.  Hallgerda  must  have  sent  Thiostolf 
to  Bearfirth,  but  she  herself  must  have  ridden  home  to  her 
father.  Let  us  now  gather  folk  and  follow  him  up  thither 
north."  So  they  did  that,  and  went  about  asking  for  help, 
and  got  together  many  men.  And  then  they  all  rode  off  to 
Steingrims  river,  and  so  on  to  Liotriverdale  and  Selriverdale, 
till  they  came  to  Bearfirth. 

Now  Swan  began  to  speak,  and  gasped  much.  "  Now 
Oswif 's  fetches  are  seeking  us  out."  Then  up  sprung  Thiostolf, 
but  Swan  said,  "  Go  thou  out  with  me,  there  won't  be  need 
of  much  ".  So  they  went  out  both  of  them,  and  Swan  took  a 
goatskin  and  wrapped  it  about  his  own  head,  and  said,  "  Be- 
come mist  and  fog,  become  fright  and  wonder  mickle  to  all 
those  who  seek  thee  ". 

Now,  it  must  be  told  how  Oswif,  his  friends,  and  his  men 
are  riding  along  the  ridge ;  then  came  a  great  mist  against 
them,  and  Oswif  said,  "  This  is  Swan's  doing ;  'twere  well  if 
nothing  worse  followed".  A  little  after  a  mighty  darkness 
came  before  their  eyes,  so  that  they  could  see  nothing,  and 
then  they  fell  off  their  horses'  backs,  and  lost  their  horses,  and 
dropped  their  weapons,  and  went  over  head  and  ears  into  bogs, 
and  some  went  astray  into  the  wood,  till  they  were  on  the 
brink  of  bodily  harm.  Then  Oswif  said,  "  If  I  could  only  find 
my  horse  and  weapons,  then  I'd  turn  back "  ;  and  he  had 
scarce  spoken  these  words  than  they  saw  somewhat,  and  found 
their  horses  and  weapons.  Then  many  still  egged  the  others 
on  to  look  after  the  chase  once  more  ;  and  so  they  did,  and  at 


24     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

once  the  same  wonders  befell  them,  and  so  they  fared  thrice. 
Then  Oswif  said,  "  Though  the  course  be  not  good,  let  us  still 
turn  back.  Now,  we  will  take  counsel  a  second  time,  and 
what  now  pleases  my  mind  best,  is  to  go  and  find  Hauskuld, 
and  ask  atonement  for  my  son ;  for  there's  hope  of  honour 
where  there's  good  store  of  it." 

So  they  rode  thence  to  the  Broadfirth  dales,  and  there  is 
nothing  to  be  told  about  them  till  they  come  to  Hauskuld- 
stede,  and  Hrut  was  there  before  them.  Oswif  called  out 
Hauskuld  and  Hrut,  and  they  both  went  out  and  bade  him 
good-day.  After  that  they  began  to  talk.  Hauskuld  asked 
Oswif  whence  he  came.  He  said  he  had  set  out  to  search 
for  Thiostolf,  but  couldn't  find  him.  Hauskuld  said  he  must 
have  gone  north  to  Swanshol,  "and  thither  it  is  not  every 
man's  lot  to  go  to  find  him ". 

"Well,"  says  Oswif,  "I  am  come  hither  for  this,  to  ask 
atonement  for  my  son  from  thee." 

Hauskuld  answered — "  I  did  not  slay  thy  son,  nor  did 
I  plot  his  death  ;  still  it  may  be  forgiven  thee  to  look  for 
atonement  somewhere  ". 

"Nose  is  next  of  kin,  brother,  to  eyes,"  said  Hrut,  "and 
it  is  needful  to  stop  all  evil  tongues,  and  to  make  him  atone- 
ment for  his  son,  and  so  mend  thy  daughter's  state,  for  that 
will  only  be  the  case  when  this  suit  is  dropped,  and  the  less 
that  is  said  about  it  the  better  it  will  be." 

Hauskuld  said — "Wilt  thou  undertake  the  award?" 

"That  I  will,"  says  Hrut,  "nor  will  I  shield  thee  at  all  in 
in  my  award ;  for  if  the  truth  must  be  told  thy  daughter 
planned  his  death." 

Then  Hrut  held  his  peace  some  little  while,  and  afterwards 
he  stood  up,  and  said  to  Oswif — "Take  now  my  hand  in  handsel 
as  a  token  that  thou  lettest  the  suit  drop  ". 

So  Oswif  stood  up  and  said — "  This  is  not  an  atonement 
on  equal  terms  when  thy  brother  utters  the  award,  but  still 
thou  (speaking  to  Hrut)  hast  behaved  so  well  about  it  that 
I  trust  thee  thoroughly  to  make  it.  Then  he  stood  up  and 
took  Hauskuld's  hand,  and  came  to  an  atonement  in  the 
matter,  on  the  understanding  that  Hrut  was  to  make  up  his 
mind  and  utter  the  award  before  Oswif  went  away.  After 
that,  Hrut  made  his  award,  and  said — "For  the  slaying  of 
Thorwald  I  award  two  hundred  in  silver" — that  was  then 
thought  a  good  price  for  a  man — "  and  thou  shalt  pay  it  down 
at  once,  brother,  and  pay  it  too  with  an  open  hand  ". 


GLUM'S  WOOING. 


25 


Hauskuld  did  so,  and  then  Hrut  said  to  Oswif — "  I  will 
give  thee  a  good  cloak  which  I  brought  with  me  from  foreign 
lands 

He  thanked  him  for  his  gift,  and  went  home  well  pleased 
at  the  way  in  which  things  had  gone. 

After  that  Hauskuld  and  Hrut  came  to  Oswif  to  share  the 
goods,  and  they  and  Oswif  came  to  a  good  agreement  about 
that  too,  and  they  went  home  with  their  share  of  the  goods, 
and  Oswif  is  now  out  of  our  story.  Hallgerda  begged  Haus- 
kuld to  let  her  come  back  home  to  him,  and  he  gave  her 
leave,  and  for  a  long  time  there  was  much  talk  about  Thorwald's 
slaying.  As  for  Hallgerda's  goods  they  went  on  growing  till 
they  were  worth  a  great  sum. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

GLUM'S  WOOING. 

Now  three  brothers  are  named  in  the  story.  One  was  called 
Thorarin,  the  second  Ragi,  and  the  third  Glum.  They  were 
the  sons  of  Olof  the  Halt,  and  were  men  of  much  worth  and 
of  great  wealth  in  goods.  Thorarin' s  surname  was  Ragi's 
brother ;  he  had  the  Speakership  of  the  Law  after  Rafn 
Heing's  son.  He  was  a  very  wise  man,  and  lived  at  Varmalek, 
and  he  and  Glum  kept  house  together.  Glum  had  been  long 
abroad ;  he  was  a  tall,  strong,  handsome  man.  Ragi  their 
brother  was  a  great  manslayer.  Tb  jse  brothers  owned  in  the 
south  Engey  and  Laugarness.  One  day  the  brothers  Thorarin 
and  Glum  were  talking  together,  and  Thorarin  asked  Glum 
whether  he  meant  to  go  abroad,  as  was  his  wont. 

He  answered — "  I  was  rather  thinking  now  of  leaving  off 
trading  voyages 

"  What  hast  thou  then  in  thy  mind  ?  Wilt  thou  woo  thee 
a  wife  ?  " 

"  That  I  will/'  says  he,  "  if  I  could  only  get  myself  well 
matched/ ' 

Then  Thorarin  told  off  all  the  women  who  were  unwedded 
in  Borgarfirth,  and  asked  him  if  he  would  have  any  of  these — 
"  Say  the  word,  and  I  will  ride  with  thee  ! " 

But  Glum  answered — "  I  will  have  none  of  these 


26     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Say  then  the  name  of  her  thou  wishest  to  have,"  says 
Thorarin. 

Glum  answered — "  If  thou  must  know,  her  name  is  Hall- 
gerda, and  she  is  Hauskuld's  daughter  away  west  in  the  dales  *\ 

"Well/*  says  Thorarin,  "'tis  not  with  thee  as  the  saw  says, 
c  be  warned  by  another's  woe ' ;  for  she  was  wedded  to  a  man, 
and  she  plotted  his  death/' 

Glum  said — "  May  be  such  ill-luck  will  not  befall  her  a 
second  time,  and  sure  I  am  she  will  not  plot  my  death.  But 
now,  if  thou  wilt  show  me  any  honour,  ride  along  with  me  to 
woo  her." 

Thorarin  said — "There's  no  good  striving  against  it,  for 
what  must  be  is  sure  to  happen ".  Glum  often  talked  the 
matter  over  with  Thorarin,  but  he  put  it  off  a  long  time.  At 
last  it  came  about  that  they  gathered  men  together  and  rode 
off  ten  in  company,  west  to  the  dales,  and  came  to  Hauskuld- 
stede.  Hauskuld  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome,  and  they 
stayed  there  that  night.  But  early  next  morning,  Hauskuld 
sends  Hrut,  and  he  came  thither  at  once  ;  and  Hauskuld  was 
out  of  doors  when  he  rode  into  the  "town".  Then  Hauskuld 
told  Hrut  what  men  had  come  thither. 

"  What  may  it  be  they  want  ?  "  asked  Hrut. 

"  As  yet,"  says  Hauskuld,  "  they  have  not  let  out  to  me 
that  they  have  any  business." 

"Still,"  says  Hrut,  "their  business  must  be  with  thee. 
They  will  ask  the  hand  of  thy  daughter,  Hallgerda.  If  they 
do,  what  answer  wilt  thou  make  ?  " 

"What  dost  thou  advise  me  to  say?"  says  Hauskuld. 

"Thou  shalt  answer  well,"  says  Hrut;  "but  still  make  a 
clean  breast  of  all  the  good  and  all  the  ill  thou  knowest  of 
the  woman." 

But  while  the  brothers  were  talking  thus,  out  came  the 
guests.  Hauskuld  greeted  them  well,  and  Hrut  bade  both 
Thorarin  and  his  brothers  good  morning.  After  that  they  all 
began  to  talk,  and  Thorarin  said — 

"  I  am  come  hither,  Hauskuld,  with  my  brother  Glum  on 
this  errand,  to  ask  for  Hallgerda  thy  daughter,  at  the  hand 
of  my  brother  Glum.  Thou  must  know  that  he  is  a  man  of 
worth." 

"  I  know  well,"  says  Hauskuld,  "  that  ye  are  both  of  you 
powerful  and  worthy  men ;  but  I  must  tell  you  right  out,  that 
I  chose  a  husband  for  her  before,  and  that  turned  out  most 
unluckily  for  us." 


GLUM'S  WOOING. 


27 


Thorarin  answered — "  We  will  not  let  that  stand  in  the  way 
of  the  bargain ;  for  one  oath  shall  not  become  all  oaths,  and 
this  may  prove  to  be  a  good  match,  though  that  turned  out 
ill ;  besides  Thiostolf  had  most  hand  in  spoiling  it ***** 

Then  Hrut  spoke  :  "  Now  I  will  give  you  a  bit  of  advice — 
this :  if  ye  will  not  let  all  this  that  has  already  happened  to 
Hallgerda  stand  in  the  way  of  the  match,  mind  you  do  not  let 
Thiostolf  go  south  with  her  if  the  match  comes  off,  and  that 
he  is  never  there  longer  than  three  nights  at  a  time,  unless 
Glum  gives  him  leave,  but  fall  an  outlaw  by  Glum's  hand 
without  atonement  if  he  stay  there  longer.  Of  course,  it 
shall  be  in  Glum's  power  to  give  him  leave  ;  but  he  will  not 
if  he  takes  my  advice.  And  now  this  match  shall  not  be 
fulfilled,  as  the  other  was,  without  Hallgerda's  knowledge. 
She  shall  now  know  the  whole  course  of  this  bargain,  and  see 
Glum,  and  herself  settle  whether  she  will  have  him  or  not ; 
and  then  she  will  not  be  able  to  lay  the  blame  on  others  if  it 
does  not  turn  out  well.  And  all  this  shall  be  without  craft  or 
guile." 

Then  Thorarin  said — "  Now,  as  always,  it  will  prove  best  if 
thy  advice  be  taken 

Then  they  sent  for  Hallgerda,  and  she  came  thither,  and 
two  women  with  her.  She  had  on  a  cloak  of  rich  blue  woof, 
and  under  it  a  scarlet  kirtle,  and  a  silver  girdle  round  her 
waist,  but  her  hair  came  down  on  both  sides  of  her  bosom, 
and  she  had  turned  the  locks  up  under  her  girdle.  She  sat 
down  between  Hrut  and  her  father,  and  she  greeted  them  all 
with  kind  words,  and  spoke  well  and  boldly,  and  asked  what 
was  the  news.    After  that  she  ceased  speaking. 

Then  Glum  said — "  There  has  been  some  talk  between  thy 
father  and  my  brother  Thorarin  and  myself  about  a  bargain. 
It  was  that  I  might  get  thee,  Hallgerda,  if  it  be  thy  will,  as  it 
is  theirs  ;  and  now,  if  thou  art  a  brave  woman,  thou  wilt  say 
right  out  whether  the  match  is  at  all  to  thy  mind  ;  but  if  thou 
hast  anything  in  thy  heart  against  this  bargain  with  us,  then 
we  will  not  say  anything  more  about  it." 

Hallgerda  said — "  I  know  well  that  you  are  men  of  worth 
and  might,  ye  brothers.  I  know  too  that  now  I  shall  be 
much  better  wedded  than  I  was  before ;  but  what  I  want  to 
know  is,  what  you  have  said  already  about  the  match,  and 
how  far  you  have  given  your  words  in  the  matter.  But  so  far 
as  I  now  see  of  thee,  I  think  I  might  love  thee  well  if  we  can 
but  hit  it  off  as  to  temper/ ' 


28     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


So  Glum  himself  told  her  all  about  the  bargain,  and  left 
nothing  out,  and  then  he  asked  Hauskuld  and  Hrut  whether 
he  had  repeated  it  right.  Hauskuld  said  he  had  ;  and  then 
Hallgerda  said — "Ye  have  dealt  so  well  with  me  in  this 
matter,  my  father  and  Hrut,  that  I  will  do  what  ye  advise, 
and  this  bargain  shall  be  struck  as  ye  have  settled  it 

Then  Hrut  said — "  Methinks  it  were  best  that  Hauskuld 
and  I  should  name  witnesses,  and  that  Hallgerda  should  betroth 
herself,  if  the  Lawman  thinks  that  right  and  lawful  •'. 

"  Right  and  lawful  it  is,"  says  Thorarin. 

After  that  Hallgerda's  goods  were  valued,  and  Glum  was 
to  lay  down  as  much  against  them,  and  they  were  to  go  shares, 
half  and  half,  in  the  whole.  Then  Glum  bound  himself  to 
Hallgerda  as  his  betrothed,  and  they  rode  away  home  south  ; 
but  Hauskuld  was  to  keep  the  wedding-feast  at  his  house. 
And  now  all  is  quiet  till  men  ride  to  the  wedding. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

GLUM'S  WEDDING. 

Those  brothers  gathered  together  a  great  company,  and  they 
were  all  picked  men.  They  rode  west  to  the  dales  and  came 
to  Hauskuldstede,  and  there  they  found  a  great  gathering  to 
meet  them.  Hauskuld  and  Hrut,  and  their  friends,  filled  one 
bench,  and  the  bridegroom  the  other.  Hallgerda  sat  upon 
the  cross-bench  on  the  dais,  and  behaved  well.  Thiostolf  went 
about  with  his  axe  raised  in  air,  and  no  one  seemed  to  know 
that  he  was  there,  and  so  the  wedding  went  off'  well.  But 
when  the  feast  was  over,  Hallgerda  went  away  south  with 
Gium  and  his  brothers.  So  when  they  came  south  to  Var- 
malek,  Thorarin  asked  Hallgerda  if  she  would  undertake  the 
housekeeping.  "No,  I  will  not/'  she  said.  Hallgerda  kept 
her  temper  down  that  winter,  and  they  liked  her  well  enough. 
But  when  the  spring  came,  the  brothers  talked  about  their 
property,  and  Thorarin  said — "  I  will  give  up  to  you  the  house 
at  Varmalek,  for  that  is  readiest  to  your  hand,  and  I  will  go 
down  south  to  Laugarness  and  live  there,  but  Engey  we  will 
have  both  of  us  in  common 

Glum  was  willing  enough  to  do  that.    So  Thorarin  went 


THIOSTOLF  GOES  TO  GLUM'S  HOUSE.  29 

down  to  the  south  of  that  district,  and  Glum  and  his  wife 
stayed  behind  there,  and  lived  in  the  house  at  Varmalek. 

Now  Hallgerda  got  a  household  about  her ;  she  was 
prodigal  in  giving,  and  grasping  in  getting.  In  the  summer 
she  gave  birth  to  a  girl.  Glum  asked  her  what  name  it  was 
to  have. 

"She  shall  be  called  after  my  father's  mother,  and  her 
name  shall  be  Thorgerda,"  for  she  came  down  from  Sigurd 
Fafnir's-bane  on  the  father's  side,  according  to  the  family 
pedigree. 

So  the  maiden  was  sprinkled  with  water,  and  had  this 
name  given  her,  and  there  she  grew  up,  and  got  like  her 
mother  in  looks  and  feature.  Glum  and  Hallgerda  agreed 
well  together,  and  so  it  went  on  for  a  while.  About  that 
time  these  tidings  were  heard  from  the  north  and  Bearfirth, 
how  Swan  had  rowed  out  to  fish  in  the  spring,  and  a  great 
storm  came  down  on  him  from  the  east,  and  how  he  was 
driven  ashore  at  Fishless,  and  he  and  his  men  were  there 
lost.  But  the  fishermen  who  were  at  Kalback  thought 
they  saw  Swan  go  into  the  fell  at  Kalbackshorn,  and  that  he 
was  greeted  well ;  but  some  spoke  against  that  story,  and 
said  there  was  nothing  in  it.  But  this  all  knew  that  he  was 
never  seen  again  either  alive  or  dead.  So  when  Hallgerda 
heard  that,  she  thought  she  had  a  great  loss  in  her  mother's 
brother.  Glum  begged  Thorarin  to  change  lands  with  him, 
but  he  said  he  would  not;  "but,"  said  he,  "if  I  outlive  you, 
I  mean  to  have  Varmalek  to  myself".  When  Glum  told  this 
to  Hallgerda,  she  said,  "  Thorarin  has  indeed  a  right  to  expect 
this  from  us  ". 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THIOSTOLF  GOES  TO  GLUM'S  HOUSE. 

Thiostolf  had  beaten  one  of  Hauskuld's  house-carles,  so 
he  drove  him  away.  He  took  his  horse  and  weapons,  and 
said  to  Hauskuld — 

"  Now,  I  will  go  away  and  never  come  back." 
"  All  will  be  glad  at  that,"  says  Hauskuld. 
Thiostolf  rode  till  he  came  to  Varmalek,  and  there  he  got 


30     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


a  hearty  welcome  from  Hallgerda,  and  not  a  bad  one  from 
Glum.  He  told  Hallgerda  how  her  father  had  driven  him 
away,  and  begged  her  to  give  him  her  help  and  countenance. 
She  answered  him  by  telling  him  she  could  say  nothing  about 
his  staying  there  before  she  had  seen  Glum  about  it. 

u  Does  it  go  well  between  you  ?  "  he  says. 

"Yes/'  she  says,  "our  love  runs  smooth  enough." 

After  that  she  went  to  speak  to  Glum,  and  threw  her  arms 
round  his  neck  and  said — 

"  Wilt  thou  grant  me  a  boon  which  I  wish  to  ask  of  thee  ?  " 

ee  Grant  it  I  will,"  he  says,  "  if  it  be  right  and  seemly  ;  but 
what  is  it  thou  wishest  to  ask  ?  " 

"Well,"  she  said,  "Thiostolf  has  been  driven  away  from 
the  west,  and  what  I  want  thee  to  do  is  to  let  him  stay  here  ; 
but  I  will  not  take  it  crossly  if  it  is  not  to  thy  mind." 

Glum  said — "  Now  that  thou  behavest  so  well,  I  will  grant 
thee  thy  boon ;  but  I  tell  thee,  if  he  takes  to  any  ill  he  shall 
be  sent  off  at  once  ". 

She  goes  then  to  Thiostolf  and  tells  him,  and  he 
answered — 

"  Now,  thou  art  still  good,  as  I  had  hoped." 

After  that  he  was  there,  and  kept  himself  down  a  little 
while,  but  then  it  was  the  old  story,  he  seemed  to  spoil  all  the 
good  he  found  ;  for  he  gave  way  to  no  one  save  to  Hallgerda 
alone,  but  she  never  took  his  side  in  his  brawls  with  others. 
Thorarin,  Glum's  brother,  blamed  him  for  letting  him  be  there, 
and  said  ill  luck  would  come  of  it,  and  all  would  happen  as 
had  happened  before  if  he  were  there.  Glum  answered  him 
well  and  kindly,  but  still  kept  on  in  his  own  way. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

GLUM'S  SHEEP  HUNT. 

Now  once  on  a  time  when  autumn  came,  it  happened  that 
men  had  hard  work  to  get  their  flocks  home,  and  many  of 
Glum's  wethers  were  missing.  Then  Glum  said  to  Thio- 
stolf— 

"  Go  thou  up  on  the  fell  with  my  house-carles  and  see  if 
ye  cannot  find  out  anything  about  the  sheep." 


GLUM'S  SLAYING. 


31 


"'Tis  no  business  of  mine/'  says  Thiostolf,  "to  hunt  up 
sheep,  and  this  one  thing  is  quite  enough  to  hinder  it.  I  won't 
walk  in  thy  thralls'  footsteps.  But  go  thyself,  and  then  I'll 
go  with  thee." 

About  this  they  had  many  words.  The  weather  was  good, 
and  Hallgerda  was  sitting  out  of  doors.  Glum  went  up  to  her 
and  said — 

"  Now  Thiostolf  and  I  have  had  a  quarrel,  and  we  shall 
not  live  much  longer  together."  And  so  he  told  her  all  that 
they  had  been  talking  about. 

Then  Hallgerda  spoke  up  for  Thiostolf,  and  they  had 
many  words  about  him.  At  last  Glum  gave  her  a  blow  with 
his  hand,  and  said — 

"  I  will  strive  no  longer  with  thee,"  and  with  that  he 
went  away. 

Now  she  loved  him  much,  and  could  not  calm  herself,  but 
wept  out  loud.    Thiostolf  went  up  to  her  and  said — 

"This  is  sorry  sport  for  thee,  and  so  it  must  not  be  often 
again." 

"Nay,"  she  said,  "but  thou  shalt  not  avenge  this,  nor 
meddle  at  all  whatever  passes  between  Glum  and  me." 
He  went  off  with  a  spiteful  grin. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

GLUM'S  SLAYING. 

Now  Glum  called  men  to  follow  him,  and  Thiostolf  got  ready 
and  went  with  them.  So  they  went  up  South  Reykiardale 
and  then  up  along  by  Baugagil  and  so  south  to  Crossfell.  But 
some  of  his  band  he  sent  to  the  Sulafells,  and  they  all  found 
very  many  sheep.  Some  of  them,  too,  went  by  way  of  Scora- 
dale,  and  it  came  about  at  last  that  those  twain,  Glum  and 
Thiostolf,  were  left  alone  together.  They  went  south  from 
Crossfell  and  found  there  a  flock  of  wild  sheep,  and  they  went 
from  the  south  towards  the  fell,  and  tried  to  drive  them  down  ; 
but  still  the  sheep  got  away  from  them  up  on  the  fell.  Then 
each  began  to  scold  the  other,  and  Thiostolf  said  at  last  that 
Glum  had  no  strength  save  to  tumble  about  in  Hallgerda' s 
arms. 


32     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Then  Glum  said — 

"  '  A  mans  foes  are  those  of  his  own  house/    Shall  I  take 
upbraiding  from  thee,  runaway  thrall  as  thou  art  ?  " 
Thiostolf  said — 

"Thou  shalt  soon  have  to  own  that  I  am  no  thrall,  for 
I  will  not  yield  an  inch  to  thee." 

Then  Glum  got  angry,  and  cut  at  him  with  his  hand-axe, 
but  he  threw  his  axe  in  the  way,  and  the  blow  fell  on  the  haft 
with  a  downward  stroke  and  bit  into  it  about  the  breadth  of 
two  fingers.  Thiostolf  cut  at  him  at  once  with  his  axe,  and 
smote  him  on  the  shoulder,  and  the  stroke  hewed  asunder  the 
shoulderbone  and  collarbone,  and  the  wound  bled  inwards. 
Glum  grasped  at  Thiostolf  with  his  left  hand  so  fast  that  he 
fell ;  but  Glum  could  not  hold  him,  for  death  came  over  him. 
Then  Thiostolf  covered  his  body  with  stones,  and  took  off  his 
gold  ring.  Then  he  went  straight  to  Varmalek.  Hallgerda 
was  sitting  out  of  doors,  and  saw  that  his  axe  was  bloody. 
He  said  — 

"  I  know  not  what  thou  wilt  think  of  it,  but  I  tell  thee 
Glum  is  slain." 

"That  must  be  thy  deed?"  she  says. 
"  So  it  is,"  he  says. 
She  laughed  and  said — 

"  Thou  dost  not  stand  for  nothing  in  this  sport." 

"  What  thinkest  thou  is  best  to  be  done  now  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Go  to  Hrut,  my  father's  brother,"  she  said,  "and  let  him 
see  about  thee." 

"I  do  not  know,"  says  Thiostolf,  "whether  this  is  good 
advice  ;  but  still  I  will  take  thy  counsel  in  this  matter." 

So  he  took  his  horse,  and  rode  west  to  Hrutstede  that 
night.  He  binds  his  horse  at  the  back  of  the  house,  and  then 
goes  round  to  the  door,  and  gives  a  great  knock.  After  that 
he  walks  round  the  house,  north  about.  It  happened  that 
Hrut  was  awake.  He  sprang  up  at  once,  and  put  on  his 
jerkin  and  pulled  on  his  shoes.  Then  he  took  up  his  sword, 
and  wrapped  a  cloak  about  his  left  arm,  up  as  far  as  the  elbow. 
Men  woke  up  just  as  he  went  out ;  there  he  saw  a  tall  stout 
man  at  the  back  of  the  house,  and  knew  it  was  Thiostolf. 
Hrut  asked  him  what  news. 

"  I  tell  thee  Glum  is  slain,"  says  Thiostolf. 

"  Who  did  the  deed  ?  "  says  Hrut. 

"  I  slew  him,"  says  Thiostolf. 

"  Why  rodest  thou  hither  ?  "  says  Hrut. 


GLUM'S  SLAYING.  33 


"  Hallgerda  sent  me  to  thee/'  says  Thiostolf. 

"Then  she  has  no  hand  in  this  deed/'  says  Hrut,  and 
drew  his  sword.  Thiostolf  saw  that,  and  would  not  be  behind 
hand,  so  he  cuts  at  Hrut  at  once.  Hrut  got  out  of  the  way  of 
the  stroke  by  a  quick  turn,  and  at  the  same  time  struck  the 
back  of  the  axe  so  smartly  with  a  side-long  blow  of  his  left 
hand,  that  it  flew  out  of  Thiostolf  s  grasp.  Then  Hrut  made  a 
blow  with  the  sword  in  his  right  hand  at  Thiostolf  s  leg,  just 
above  the  knee,  and  cut  it  almost  off  so  that  it  hung  by  a  little 
piece,  and  sprang  in  upon  him  at  the  same  time,  and  thrust 
him  hard  back.  After  that  he  smote  him  on  the  head,  and 
dealt  him  his  death-blow.  Thiostolf  fell  down  on  his  back  at 
full  length,  and  then  out  came  Hrut's  men,  and  saw  the  tokens 
of  the  deed.  Hrut  made  them  take  Thiostolf  away,  and  throw 
stones  over  his  body,  and  then  he  went  to  find  Hauskuld,  and 
told  him  of  Glum's  slaying,  and  also  of  Thiostolf  s.  He  thought 
it  harm  that  Glum  was  dead  and  gone,  but  thanked  him  for 
killing  Thiostolf.  A  little  while  after,  Thorarin  Ragi's  brother 
hears  of  his  brother  Glum's  death,  then  he  rides  with  eleven 
men  behind  him  west  to  Hauskuldstede,  and  Hauskuld 
welcomed  him  with  both  hands,  and  he  is  there  the  night. 
Hauskuld  sent  at  once  for  Hrut  to  come  to  him,  and  he  went 
at  once,  and  next  day  they  spoke  much  of  the  slaying  of 
Glum,  and  Thorarin  said — "  Wilt  thou  make  me  any  atonement 
for  my  brother,  for  I  have  had  a  great  loss  ?" 

Hauskuld  answered — "  I  did  not  slay  thy  brother,  nor  did 
my  daughter  plot  his  death ;  but  as  soon  as  ever  Hrut  knew 
it  he  slew  Thiostolf 

Then  Thorarin  held  his  peace,  and  thought  the  matter  had 
taken  a  bad  turn.  But  Hrut  said — "  Let  us  make  his  journey 
good ;  he  has  indeed  had  a  heavy  loss,  and  if  we  do  that  we 
shall  be  well  spoken  of.  So  let  us  give  him  gifts,  and  then 
he  will  be  our  friend  ever  afterwards.' ' 

So  the  end  of  it  was  that  those  brothers  gave  him  gifts, 
and  he  rode  back  south.  He  and  Hallgerda  changed  home- 
steads in  the  spring,  and  she  went  south  to  Laugarness  and  he 
to  Varmalek.    And  now  Thorarin  is  out  of  the  story. 


3 


34     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

FIDDLE  MORD'S  DEATH. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  Fiddle  Mord  took  a  sickness  and 
breathed  his  last ;  and  that  was  thought  great  scathe.  His 
daughter  Unna  took  all  the  goods  he  left  behind  him.  She 
was  then  still  unmarried  the  second  time.  She  was  very  lavish, 
and  unthrifty  of  her  property  ;  so  that  her  goods  and  ready 
money  wasted  away,  and  at  last  she  had  scarce  anything  left 
but  land  and  stock. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

GUNNAR  COMES  INTO  THE  STORY. 

There  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Gunnar.  He  was  one 
of  Unna's  kinsmen,  and  his  mother's  name  was  Rannveig. 
Gunnar's  father  was  named  Hamond.  Gunnar  Hamond's 
son  dwelt  at  Lithend,  in  the  Fleetlithe.  He  was  a  tall  man 
in  growth,  and  a  strong  man — best  skilled  in  arms  of  all  men. 
He  could  cut  or  thrust  or  shoot  if  he  chose  as  well  with  his 
left  as  with  his  right  hand,  and  he  smote  so  swiftly  with  his 
sword,  that  three  seemed  to  flash  through  the  air  at  once. 
He  was  the  best  shot  with  the  bow  of  all  men,  and  never 
missed  his  mark.  He  could  leap  more  than  his  own  height, 
with  all  his  war-gear,  and  as  far  backwards  as  forwards. 
He  could  swim  like  a  seal,  and  there  was  no  game  in  which 
it  was  any  good  for  anyone  to  strive  with  him  ;  and  so  it  has 
been  said  that  no  man  was  his  match.  He  was  handsome  of 
feature,  and  fair  skinned.  His  nose  was  straight,  and  a  little 
turned  up  at  the  end.  He  was  blue-eyed  and  bright-eyed, 
and  ruddy-cheeked.  His  hair  thick,  and  of  good  hue,  and 
hanging  down  in  comely  curls.  The  most  courteous  of  men 
was  he,  of  sturdy  frame  and  strong  will,  bountiful  and  gentle, 
a  fast  friend,  but  hard  to  please  when  making  them.  He  was 
wealthy  in  goods.  His  brother's  name  was  Kolskegg  ;  he  was 
a  tall  strong  man,  a  noble  fellow,  and  undaunted  in  everything. 
Another  brother's  name  was  Hjort ;  he  was  then  in  his  child- 
hood. Orm  Skogarnef  was  a  base-born  brother  of  Gunnar's ; 
he  does  not  come  into  this  story.  Arnguda  was  the  name  of 
Gunnar's  sister.    Hroar,  the  priest  at  Tongue,  had  her  to  wife. 


UNNA  GOES  TO  SEE  GUNNAR.  35 


CHAPTER  XX. 

OF  NJAL  AND  HIS  CHILDREN. 

There  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Njal.  He  was  the  son  of 
Thorgeir  Gelling,  the  son  of  Thorolf.  Njal's  mothers  name 
was  Asgerda.  Njal  dwelt  at  Bergthorsknoll  in  the  land-isles  ; 
he  had  another  homestead  on  Thorolfsfell.  Njal  was  wealthy 
in  goods,  and  handsome  of  face  ;  no  beard  grew  on  his  chin. 
He  was  so  great  a  lawyer,  that  his  match  was  not  to  be  found. 
Wise  too  he  was,  and  foreknowing  and  foresighted.1  Of  good 
counsel,  and  ready  to  give  it,  and  all  that  he  advised  men  was 
sure  to  be  the  best  for  them  to  do.  Gentle  and  generous,  he 
unravelled  every  man's  knotty  points  who  came  to  see  him 
about  them.  Bergthora  was  his  wife's  name  ;  she  was  Skarp- 
hedinn's  daughter,  a  very  high-spirited,  brave-hearted  woman, 
but  somewhat  hard-tempered.  They  had  six  children,  three 
daughters  and  three  sons,  and  they  all  come  afterwards  into 
this  story. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

UNNA  GOES  TO  SEE  GUNNAR. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  Unna  had  lost  all  her  ready  money. 
She  made  her  way  to  Lithend,  and  Gunnar  greeted  his  kins- 
woman well.  She  stayed  there  that  night,  and  the  next 
morning  they  sat  out  of  doors  and  talked.  The  end  of  their 
talk  was  that  she  told  him  how  heavily  she  was  pressed  for 
money. 

"  This  is  a  bad  business,"  he  said. 

"  What  help  wilt  thou  give  me  out  of  my  distress  ?  "  she 
asked. 

He  answered — "  Take  as  much  money  as  thou  needest 
from  what  I  have  out  at  interest". 

"  Nay/'  she  said,  "  I  will  not  waste  thy  goods." 
"What  then  dost  thou  wish  ?" 

1This  means  that  Njal  was  one  of  those  gifted  beings  who,  according  to 
the  firm  belief  of  that  age,  had  a  more  than  human  insight  into  things  about  to 
happen.    It  answers  very  nearly  to  the  Scottish  "second  sight 


36     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  I  wish  thee  to  get  back  my  goods  out  of  Hrut's  hands/' 
she  answered. 

"That,  methinks,  is  not  likely/'  said  he,  "when  thy  father 
could  not  get  them  back,  and  yet  he  was  a  great  lawyer,  but 
I  know  little  about  law." 

She  answered — "  Hrut  pushed  that  matter  through  rather 
by  boldness  than  by  law  ;  besides,  my  father  was  old,  and  that 
was  why  men  thought  it  better  not  to  drive  things  to  the 
uttermost.  And  now  there  is  none  of  my  kinsmen  to  take 
this  suit  up  if  thou  hast  not  daring  enough." 

"I  have  courage  enough/'  he  replied,  "to  get  these  goods 
back  ;  but  I  do  not  know  how  to  take  the  suit  up." 

"Well!"  she  answered,  "go  and  see  Njal  of  Bergthors- 
knoll,  he  will  know  how  to  give  thee  advice.  Besides,  he  is  a 
great  friend  of  thine." 

"  'Tis  like  enough  he  will  give  me  good  advice,  as  he  gives 
it  to  every  one  else,"  says  Gunnar. 

So  the  end  of  their  talk  was,  that  Gunnar  undertook  her 
cause,  and  gave  her  the  money  she  needed  for  her  housekeep- 
ing, and  after  that  she  went  home. 

Now  Gunnar  rides  to  see  Njal,  and  he  made  him  welcome, 
and  they  began  to  talk  at  once. 

Then  Gunnar  said — "  I  am  come  to  seek  a  bit  of  good 
advice  from  thee". 

Njal  replied — "  Many  of  my  friends  are  worthy  of  this,  but 
still  I  think  I  would  take  more  pains  for  none  than  for  thee  ". 

Gunnar  said — "I  wish  to  let  thee  know  that  I  have  under- 
taken to  get  Unna's  goods  back  from  Hrut ". 

"  A  very  hard  suit  to  undertake,"  said  Njal,  "  and  one  very 
hazardous  how  it  will  go ;  but  still  I  will  get  it  up  for  thee  in 
the  way  I  think  likeliest  to  succeed,  and  the  end  will  be  good 
if  thou  breakest  none  of  the  rules  I  lay  down  ;  if  thou  dost,  thy 
life  is  in  danger." 

"Never  fear;  I  will  break  none  of  them/'  said  Gunnar. 

Then  Njal  held  his  peace  for  a  little  while,  and  after  that 
he  spoke  as  follows  : — 


NJAL'S  ADVICE. 


37 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

NJAL'S  ADVICE. 

"  I  have  thought  over  the  suit,  and  it  will  do  so.  Thou  shalt 
ride  from  home  with  two  men  at  thy  back.  Over  all  thou 
shalt  have  a  great  rough  cloak,  and  under  that,  a  russet  kirtle 
of  cheap  stuff,  and  under  all,  thy  good  clothes.  Thou  must 
take  a  small  axe  in  thy  hand,  and  each  of  you  must  have  two 
horses,  one  fat,  the  other  lean.  Thou  shalt  carry  hardware 
and  smith's  work  with  thee  hence,  and  ye  must  ride  off  early 
to-morrow  morning,  and  when  ye  are  come  across  Whitewater 
westwards,  mind  and  slouch  thy  hat  well  over  thy  brows. 
Then  men  will  ask  who  is  this  tall  man,  and  thy  mates  shall 
say — '  Here  is  Huckster  Hedinn  the  Big,  a  man  from  Eyja- 
firth,  who  is  going  about  with  smith's  work  for  sale '.  This 
Hedinn  is  ill-tempered  and  a  chatterer — a  fellow  who  thinks 
he  alone  knows  everything.  Very  often  he  snatches  back 
his  wares,  and  flies  at  men  if  everything  is  not  done  as 
he  wishes.  So  thou  shalt  ride  west  to  Borgarfirth  offering  all 
sorts  of  wares  for  sale,  and  be  sure  often  to  cry  off  thy  bargains, 
so  that  it  will  be  noised  abroad  that  Huckster  Hedinn  is  the 
worst  of  men  to  deal  with,  and  that  no  lies  have  been  told  of 
his  bad  behaviour.  So  thou  shalt  ride  to  Northwaterdale,  and 
to  Hrutfirth,  and  Laxriverdale,  till  thou  comest  to  Hauskuld- 
stede.  There  thou  must  stay  a  night,  and  sit  in  the  lowest 
place,  and  hang  thy  head  down.  Hauskuld  will  tell  them  all 
not  to  meddle  nor  make  with  Huckster  Hedinn,  saying  he  is 
a  rude  unfriendly  fellow.  Next  morning  thou  must  be  off 
early  and  go  to  the  farm  nearest  Hrutstede.  There  thou  must 
offer  thy  goods  for  sale,  praising  up  all  that  is  worst,  and 
tinkering  up  the  faults.  The  master  of  the  house  will  pry 
about  and  find  out  the  faults.  Thou  must  snatch  the  wares  away 
from  him,  and  speak  ill  to  him.  He  will  say — 'Twas  not  to 
be  hoped  that  thou  wouldst  behave  well  to  him,  when  thou 
behavest  ill  to  every  one  else.  Then  thou  shalt  fly  at  him, 
though  it  is  not  thy  wont,  but  mind  and  spare  thy  strength, 
that  thou  mayest  not  be  found  out.  Then  a  man  will  be  sent 
to  Hrutstede  to  tell  Hrut  he  had  best  come  and  part  you. 
He  will  come  at  once  and  ask  thee  to  his  house,  and  thou 
must  accept  his  offer.  Thou  shalt  greet  Hrut,  and  he  will 
answer  well.    A  place  will  be  given  thee  on  the  lower  bench 


38     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


over  against  Hrut's  high-seat.  He  will  ask  if  thou  art  from 
the  North,  and  thou  shalt  answer  that  thou  art  a  man  of 
Eyjafirth.  He  will  go  on  to  ask  if  there  are  very  many 
famous  men  there.  '  Shabby  fellows  enough  and  to  spare/ 
thou  must  answer.  'Dost  thou  know  Reykiardale  and  the 
parts  about  ? '  he  will  ask.  To  which  thou  must  answer — '  I 
know  all  Iceland  by  heart  \ 

" ' Are  there  any  stout  champions  left  in  Reykiardale  ? '  he 
will  ask.  ' Thieves  and  scoundrels/  thou  shalt  answer.  Then 
Hrut  will  smile  and  think  it  sport  to  listen.  You  two  will  go 
on  to  talk  of  the  men  in  the  Eastfirth  Quarter,  and  thou 
must  always  find  something  to  say  against  them.  At  last 
your  talk  will  come  to  Rangrivervale,  and  then  thou  must  say, 
there  is  small  choice  of  men  left  in  those  parts  since  Fiddle 
Mord  died.  At  the  same  time  sing  some  stave  to  please 
Hrut,  for  I  know  thou  art  a  skald.  Hrut  will  ask  what 
makes  thee  say  there  is  never  a  man  to  come  in  Mord's 
place ;  and  then  thou  must  answer,  that  he  was  so  wise  a  man 
and  so  good  a  taker  up  of  suits,  that  he  never  made  a  false 
step  in  upholding  his  leadership.  He  will  ask — '  Dost  thou 
know  how  matters  fared  between  me  and  him  ? ' 

" ' I  know  all  about  it/  thou  must  reply,  ' he  took  thy  wife 
from  thee,  and  thou  hadst  not  a  word  to  say.' 

"  Then  Hrut  will  ask — '  Dost  thou  not  think  it  was  some 
disgrace  to  him  when  he  could  not  get  back  his  goods, 
though  he  set  the  suit  on  foot  ? ' 

" '  I  can  answer  thee  that  well  enough/  thou  must  say, 
'  Thou  challengedst  him  to  single  combat ;  but  he  was  old, 
and  so  his  friends  advised  him  not  to  fight  with  thee,  and 
then  they  let  the  suit  fall  to  the  ground/ 

"'True  enough/  Hrut  will  say.  'I  said  so,  and  that 
passed  for  law  among  foolish  men ;  but  the  suit  might  have 
been  taken  up  again  at  another  Thing  if  he  had  the  heart/ 

" '  I  know  all  that/  thou  must  say. 

"Then  he  will  ask — 'Dost  thou  know  anything  about 
law  ? ' 

" '  Up  in  the  North  I  am  thought  to  know  something 
about  it/  thou  shalt  say.  '  But  still  I  should  like  thee  to  tell 
me  how  this  suit  should  be  taken  up/ 

"  '  What  suit  dost  thou  mean  ?  '  he  will  ask. 

"'A  suit/  thou  must  answer,  'which  does  not  concern  me. 
I  want  to  know  how  a  man  must  set  to  work  who  wishes  to 
get  back  Unna's  dower/ 


HUCKSTER  HEDINN.  39 


"  Then  Hrut  will  say — c  In  this  suit  I  must  be  summoned 
so  that  I  can  hear  the  summons,  or  I  must  be  summoned 
here  in  my  lawful  house  \ 

" '  Recite  the  summons,  then/  thou  must  say,  and  I  will 
say  it  after  thee/ 

"  Then  Hrut  will  summon  himself ;  and  mind  and  pay 
great  heed  to  every  word  he  says.  After  that  Hrut  will  bid 
thee  repeat  the  summons,  and  thou  must  do  so,  and  say  it  all 
wrong,  so  that  no  more  than  every  other  word  is  right. 

"Then  Hrut  will  smile  and  not  mistrust  thee,  but  say 
that  scarce  a  word  is  right.  Thou  must  throw  the  blame  on 
thy  companions,  and  say  they  put  thee  out,  and  then  thou 
must  ask  him  to  say  the  words  first,  word  by  word,  and  to  let 
thee  say  the  words  after  him.  He  will  give  thee  leave,  and 
summon  himself  in  the  suit,  and  thou  shalt  summon  after  him 
there  and  then,  and  this  time  say  every  word  right.  When  it  is 
done,  ask  Hrut  if  that  were  rightly  summoned,  and  he  will 
answer  '  there  is  no  flaw  to  be  found  in  it Then  thou  shalt 
say  in  a  loud  voice,  so  that  thy  companions  may  hear — 

" '  I  summon  thee  in  the  suit  which  Unna  Mord's  daughter 
has  made  over  to  me  with  her  plighted  hand/ 

"  But  when  men  are  sound  asleep,  you  shall  rise  and  take 
your  bridles  and  saddles,  and  tread  softly,  and  go  out  of  the 
house,  and  put  your  saddles  on  your  fat  horses  in  the  fields, 
and  so  ride  off  on  them,  but  leave  the  others  behind  you. 
You  must  ride  up  into  the  hills  away  from  the  home  pastures 
and  stay  there  three  nights,  for  about  so  long  will  they  seek 
you.  After  that  ride  home  south,  riding  always  by  night  and 
resting  by  day.  As  for  us,  we  will  then  ride  this  summer  to 
the  Thing,  and  help  thee  in  thy  suit/'  So  Gunnar  thanked 
Njal,  and  first  of  all  rode  home. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

HUCKSTER  HEDINN. 

Gunnar  rode  from  home  two  nights  afterwards,  and  two  men 
with  him  ;  they  rode  along  until  they  got  on  Bluewoodheath, 
and  then  men  on  horseback  met  them  and  asked  who  that 
tall  man  might  be  of  whom  so  little  was  seen.     But  his  com- 


40     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


panions  said  it  was  Huckster  Hedinn.  Then  the  others  said 
a  worse  was  not  to  be  looked  for  behind,  when  such  a  man  as 
he  went  before.  Hedinn  at  once  made  as  though  he  would 
have  set  upon  them,  but  yet  each  went  their  way.  So  Gunnar 
went  on  doing  everything  as  Njal  had  laid  it  down  for  him, 
and  when  he  came  to  Hauskuldstede  he  stayed  there  the 
night,  and  thence  he  went  down  the  dale  till  he  came  to  the 
next  farm  to  Hrutstede.  There  he  offered  his  wares  for  sale, 
and  Hedinn  fell  at  once  upon  the  farmer.  This  was  told  to 
Hrut,  and  he  sent  for  Hedinn,  and  Hedinn  went  at  once  to 
see  Hrut,  and  had  a  good  welcome.  Hrut  seated  him  over 
against  himself,  and  their  talk  went  pretty  much  as  Njal  had 
guessed ;  but  when  they  came  to  talk  of  Rangrivervale,  and 
Hrut  asked  about  the  men  there,  Gunnar  sung  this  stave  — 

Men  in  sooth  are  slow  to  find, — 
So  the  people  speak  by  stealth, 
Often  this  hath  reached  my  ears, — 
All  through  Rangar's  rolling  vales. 
Still  I  trow  that  Fiddle  Mord, 
Tried  his  hand  in  fight  of  yore  ; 
Sure  was  never  gold-bestower, 
Such  a  man  for  might  and  wit. 

Then  Hrut  said,  "Thou  art  a  skald,  Hedinn.  But  hast 
thou  never  heard  how  things  went  between  me  and  Mord  ?  " 
Then  Hedinn  sung  another  stave — 

Once  I  ween  I  heard  the  rumour, 
How  the  Lord  of  rings  *  bereft  thee  ; 
From  thine  arms  earth's  offspring  f  tearing, 
Trickful  he  and  trustful  thou. 
Then  the  men,  the  buckler-bearers, 
Begged  the  mighty  gold-begetter, 
Sharp  sword  oft  of  old  he  reddened, 
Not  to  stand  in  strife  with  thee. 

So  they  went  on,  till  Hrut,  in  answer  told  him  how  the 
suit  must  be  taken  up,  and  recited  the  summons.  Hedinn 
repeated  it  all  wrong,  and  Hrut  burst  out  laughing,  and  had 
no  mistrust.  Then  he  said,  Hrut  must  summon  once  more, 
and  Hrut  did  so.  Then  Hedinn  repeated  the  summons  a 
second  time,  and  this  time  right,  and  called  his  companions 
to  witness  how  he  summoned  Hrut  in  a  suit  which  Unna 
Mord's  daughter  had  made  over  to  him  with  her  plighted 
hand.    At  night  he  went  to  sleep  like  other  men,  but  as  soon 

*  Lord  of  rings,  a  periphrasis  for  a  chief,  that  is,  Mord. 

f  Earth's  offspring,  a  periphrasis  for  woman,  that  is,  Unna. 


HUCKSTER  HEDINN.  41 


as  ever  Hrut  was  sound  asleep,  they  took  their  clothes  and 
arms,  and  went  out  and  came  to  their  horses,  and  rode  off 
across  the  river,  and  so  up  along  the  bank  by  Hiardarholt 
till  the  dale  broke  off  among  the  hills,  and  so  there  they  are 
upon  the  fells  between  Laxriverdale  and  Hawkdale,  having 
got  to  a  spot  where  no  one  could  find  them  unless  he  had 
fallen  on  them  by  chance. 

Hauskuld  wakes  up  that  night  at  Hauskuldstede,  and 
roused  all  his  household.  "I  will  tell  you  my  dream,"  he 
said.  "  I  thought  I  saw  a  great  bear  go  out  of  this  house, 
and  I  knew  at  once  this  beast's  match  was  not  to  be  found  ; 
two  cubs  followed  him,  wishing  well  to  the  bear,  and  they  all 
made  for  Hrutstede,  and  went  into  the  house  there.  After 
that  I  woke.  Now  I  wish  to  ask  if  any  of  you  saw  aught 
about  yon  tall  man." 

Then  one  man  answered  him — "  I  saw  how  a  golden  fringe 
and  a  bit  of  scarlet  cloth  peeped  out  at  his  arm,  and  on  his 
right  arm  he  had  a  ring  of  gold  ". 

Hauskuld  said — "  This  beast  is  no  man's  fetch,  but  Gunnar's 
of  Lithend,  and  now  methinks  I  see  all  about  it.  Up  !  let  us 
ride  to  Hrutstede."  And  they  did  so.  Hrut  lay  in  his  locked 
bed,  and  asks  who  have  come  there  ?  Hauskuld  tells  who  he 
is,  and  asked  what  guests  might  be  there  in  the  house. 

"  Only  Huckster  Hedinn  is  here,"  says  Hrut. 

"  A  broader  man  across  the  back,  it  will  be,  I  fear,"  says 
Hauskuld,  "I  guess  here  must  have  been  Gunnar  of  Lithend." 

"  Then  there  has  been  a  pretty  trial  of  cunning,"  says  Hrut. 

"What  has  happened?"  says  Hauskuld. 

"I  told  him  how  to  take  up  Unna's  suit,  and  I  summoned 
myself  and  he  summoned  after,  and  now  he  can  use  this  first 
step  in  the  suit,  and  it  is  right  in  law." 

"There  has,  indeed,  been  a  great  falling  off  of  wit  on  one 
side,"  said  Hauskuld,  "and  Gunnar  cannot  have  planned  it  all 
by  himself ;  Njal  must  be  at  the  bottom  of  this  plot,  for  there 
is  not  his  match  for  wit  in  all  the  land." 

Now  they  look  for  Hedinn,  but  he  is  already  off  and  away ; 
after  that  they  gathered  folk,  and  looked  for  them  three  days, 
but  could  not  find  them.  Gunnar  rode  south  from  the  fell  to 
Hawkdale  and  so  east  of  Skard,  and  north  to  Holtbeaconheath, 
and  so  on  until  he  got  home. 


42     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

GUNNAR  AND  HRUT  STRIVE  AT  THE  THING. 

Gunnar  rode  to  the  Althing,  and  Hrut  and  Hauskuld  rode 
thither  too  with  a  very  great  company.  Gunnar  pursues  his 
suit,  and  began  by  calling  on  his  neighbours  to  bear  witness, 
but  Hrut  and  his  brother  had  it  in  their  minds  to  make  an 
onslaught  on  him,  but  they  mistrusted  their  strength. 

Gunnar  next  went  to  the  court  of  the  men  of  Broadfirth, 
and  bade  Hrut  listen  to  his  oath  and  declaration  of  the  cause 
of  the  suit,  and  to  all  the  proofs  which  he  was  about  to  bring 
forward.  After  that  he  took  his  oath,  and  declared  his  case. 
After  that  he  brought  forward  his  witnesses  of  the  summons, 
along  with  his  witnesses  that  the  suit  had  been  handed  over 
to  him.  All  this  time  Njal  was  not  at  the  court.  Now  Gunnar 
pursued  his  suit  till  he  called  on  the  defendant  to  reply.  Then 
Hrut  took  witness,  and  said  the  suit  was  naught,  and  that 
there  was  a  flaw  in  the  pleading  ;  he  declared  that  it  had  broken 
down  because  Gunnar  had  failed  to  call  those  three  witnesses 
which  ought  to  have  been  brought  before  the  court.  The  first, 
that  which  was  taken  before  the  marriage-bed,  the  second, 
before  the  man's  door,  the  third,  at  the  Hill  of  Laws.  By  this 
time  Njal  was  come  to  the  court  and  said  the  suit  and  pleading 
might  still  be  kept  alive  if  they  chose  to  strive  in  that  way. 

"  No,"  says  Gunnar,  "  I  will  not  have  that ;  I  will  do  the 
same  to  Hrut  as  he  did  to  Mord  my  kinsman ; — or,  are  those 
brothers  Hrut  and  Hauskuld  so  near  that  they  may  hear  my 
voice  ?" 

"  Hear  it  we  can,"  says  Hrut.    "  What  dost  thou  wish  ?  " 

Gunnar  said — "  Now  all  men  here  present  be  ear- witnesses, 
that  I  challenge  thee  Hrut  to  single  combat,  and  we  shall  fight 
to-day  on  the  holm,  which  is  here  in  Axewater.  But  if  thou 
wilt  not  fight  with  me,  then  pay  up  all  the  money  this  very 
day." 

After  that  Gunnar  sung  a  stave — 

Yes,  so  must  it  be,  this  morning — 
Now  my  mind  is  full  of  fire — 
Hrut  with  me  on  yonder  island 
Raises  roar  of  helm  and  shield. 
All  that  hear  my  words  bear  witness, 
Warriors  grasping  Woden's  guard, 
Unless  the  wealthy  wight  down  payeth 
Dower  of  wife  with  flowing  veil. 


GUNNAR  AND  HRUT,  ETC.  43 

After  that  Gunnar  went  away  from  the  court  with  all  his 
followers.  Hrut  and  Hauskuld  went  home  too,  and  the  suit 
was  never  pursued  nor  defended  from  that  day  forth.  Hrut 
said,  as  soon  as  he  got  inside  the  booth,  "This  has  never 
happened  to  me  before,  that  any  man  has  offered  me  combat 
and  I  have  shunned  it  ". 

"Then  thou  must  mean  to  fight,"  says  Hauskuld,  "but 
that  shall  not  be  if  I  have  my  way  ;  for  thou  comest  no  nearer 
to  Gunnar  than  Mord  would  have  come  to  thee,  and  we  had 
better  both  of  us  pay  up  the  money  to  Gunnar.' ' 

After  that  the  brothers  asked  the  householders  of  their 
own  country  what  they  would  lay  down,  and  they  one  and  all 
said  they  would  lay  down  as  much  as  Hrut  wished. 

"Let  us  go  then,"  says  Hauskuld,  "to  Gunnar's  booth, 
and  pay  down  the  money  out  of  hand."  That  was  told  to 
Gunnar,  and  he  went  out  into  the  doorway  of  the  booth,  and 
Hauskuld  said — 

"Now  it  is  thine  to  take  the  money." 

Gunnar  said — 

"  Pay  it  down,  then,  for  I  am  ready  to  take  it." 

So  they  paid  down  the  money  truly  out  of  hand,  and  then 
Hauskuld  said — "  Enjoy  it  now,  as  thou  hast  gotten  it  ".  Then 
Gunnar  sang  another  stave — 

Men  who  wield  the  blade  of  battle 
Hoarded  wealth  may  well  enjoy, 
Guileless  gotten  this  at  least, 
Golden  meed  I  fearless  take  ; 
But  if  we  for  woman's  quarrel, 
Warriors  born  to  brandish  sword, 
Glut  the  wolf  with  manly  gore, 
Worse  the  lot  of  both  would  be. 

Hrut  answered — "  111  will  be  thy  meed  for  this  ". 
"  Be  that  as  it  may,"  says  Gunnar. 

Then  Hauskuld  and  his  brother  went  home  to  their  booth, 
and  he  had  much  upon  his  mind,  and  said  to  Hrut — 

"Will  this  unfairness  of  Gunnar's  never  be  avenged  ?" 

"  Not  so,"  says  Hrut ;  "  'twill  be  avenged  on  him  sure 
enough,  but  we  shall  have  no  share  nor  profit  in  that  ven- 
geance. And  after  all  it  is  most  likely  that  he  will  turn  to 
our  stock  to  seek  for  friends." 

After  that  they  left  off  speaking  of  the  matter.  Gunnar 
showed  Njal  the  money,  and  he  said — "The  suit  has  gone  off 
well  ". 

"Ay,"  says  Gunnar,  "but  it  was  all  thy  doing." 


44  '  THE  STOEY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

Now  men  rode  home  from  the  Thing,  and  Gunnar  got 
very  great  honour  from  the  suit.  Gunnar  handed  over  all 
the  money  to  Unna,  and  would  have  none  of  it,  but  said  he 
thought  he  ought  to  look  for  more  help  from  her  and  her  kin 
hereafter  than  from  other  men.    She  said,  so  it  should  be. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

UNNA'S  SECOND  WEDDING. 

There  was  a  man  named  Valgard,  he  kept  house  at  Hof  by 
Rangriver,  he  was  the  son  of  Jorund  the  Priest,  and  his  brother 
was  Wolf  Aurpriest.  Those  brothers,  Wolf  Aurpriest,  and 
Valgard  the  guileful,  set  off  to  woo  Unna,  and  she  gave  herself 
away  to  Valgard  without  the  advice  of  any  of  her  kinsfolk. 
But  Gunnar  and  Njal,  and  many  others  thought  ill  of  that,  for 
he  was  a  cross-grained  man  and  had  few  friends.  They  begot 
between  them  a  son,  whose  name  was  Mord,  and  he  is  long 
in  this  story.  When  he  was  grown  to  man's  estate,  he  worked 
ill  to  his  kinsfolk,  but  worst  of  all  to  Gunnar.  He  was  a  crafty 
man  in  his  temper,  but  spiteful  in  his  counsels. 

Now  we  will  name  Njal's  sons.  Skarphedinn  was  the 
eldest  of  them.  He  was  a  tall  man  in  growth  and  strong 
withal ;  a  good  swordsman  ;  he  could  swim  like  a  seal,  the 
swiftest-footed  of  men,  and  bold  and  dauntless  ;  he  had  a 
great  flow  of  words  and  quick  utterance  ;  a  good  skald  too ; 
but  still  for  the  most  part  he  kept  himself  well  in  hand ;  his 
hair  was  dark  brown,  with  crisp  curly  locks ;  he  had  good 
eyes  ;  his  features  were  sharp,  and  his  face  ashen  pale,  his 
nose  turned  up  and  his  front  teeth  stuck  out,  and  his  mouth 
was  very  ugly.    Still  he  was  the  most  soldierlike  of  men. 

Grim  was  the  name  of  Njal's  second  son.  He  was  fair  of 
face  and  wore  his  hair  long.  His  hair  was  dark,  and  he  was 
comelier  to  look  on  than  Skarphedinn.    A  tall  strong  man. 

Helgi  was  the  name  of  Njal's  third  son.  He  too  was  fair 
of  face  and  had  fine  hair.  He  was  a  strong  man  and  well- 
skilled  in  arms.  He  was  a  man  of  sense  and  knew  well  how 
to  behave.    They  were  all  unwedded  at  that  time,  Njal's  sons. 

Hauskuld  was  the  fourth  of  Njal's  sons.  He  was  base-born. 
His  mother  was  Rodny,  and  she  was  Hauskuld's  daughter,  the 
sister  of  Ingialld  of  the  Springs. 


HELGI  NJAL'S  SON'S  WOOING.  St5 


Njal  asked  Skarphedinn  one  day  if  he  would  take  to  him- 
self a  wife.  He  bade  his  father  settle  the  matter.  Then  Njal 
asked  for  his  hand  Thorhilda,  the  daughter  of  Ranvir  of  Thor- 
olfsfell,  and  that  was  why  they  had  another  homestead  there 
after  that.  Skarphedinn  got  Thorhilda,  but  he  stayed  still 
with  his  father  to  the  end.  Grim  wooed  Astrid  of  Deepback  ; 
she  was  a  widow  and  very  wealthy.  Grim  got  her  to  wife, 
and  yet  lived  on  with  Njal. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

OF  ASGRIM  AND  HIS  CHILDREN. 

There  was  a  man  named  Asgrim.  He  was  Ellidagrim's  son. 
The  brother  of  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  was  Sigfus. 

Asgrim  had  two  sons,  and  both  of  them  were  named 
Thorhall.  They  were  both  hopeful  men.  Grim  was  the  name 
of  another  of  Asgrim' s  sons,  and  Thorhalla  was  his  daughter's 
name.    She  was  the  fairest  of  women,  and  well  behaved. 

Njal  came  to  talk  with  his  son  Helgi,  and  said,  "  I  have 
thought  of  a  match  for  thee,  if  thou  wilt  follow  my  advice 

"That  I  will  surely,"  says  he,  "for  I  know  that  thou  both 
meanest  me  well,  and  canst  do  well  for  me  ;  but  whither  hast 
thou  turned  thine  eyes  ?  " 

"  We  will  go  and  woo  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son's  daughter, 
for  that  is  the  best  choice  we  can  make." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

HELGI  NJAL'S  SON'S  WOOING. 

A  little  after  they  rode  out  across  Thurso  water,  and  fared 
till  they  came  into  Tongue.  Asgrim  was  at  home,  and  gave 
them  a  hearty  welcome  ;  and  they  were  there  that  night. 
Next  morning  they  began  to  talk,  and  then  Njal  raised  the 
question  of  the  wooing,  and  asked  for  Thorhalla  for  his  son 
Helgi' s  hand.  Asgrim  answered  that  well,  and  said  there 
were  no  men  with  whom  he  would  be  more  willing  to  make 


46     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


this  bargain  than  with  them.  They  fell  a-talking  then  about 
terms,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  Asgrim  betrothed  his 
daughter  to  Helgi,  and  the  bridal  day  was  named.  Gunnar 
was  at  that  feast,  and  many  other  of  the  best  men.  After 
the  feast  Njal  offered  to  foster  in  his  house  Thorhall,  Asgrim's 
son,  and  he  was  with  Njal  long  after.  He  loved  Njal  more 
than  his  own  father.  Njal  taught  him  law,  so  that  he  became 
the  greatest  lawyer  in  Iceland  in  those  days. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

HALLVARD  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

There  came  a  ship  out  from  Norway,  and  ran  into  Arnbael's 
Oyce,1  and  the  master  of  the  ship  was  Hallvard,  the  white,  a 
man  from  the  Bay.2  He  went  to  stay  at  Lithend,  and  was 
with  Gunnar  that  winter,  and  was  always  asking  him  to  fare 
abroad  with  him.  Gunnar  spoke  little  about  it,  but  yet  said 
more  unlikely  things  might  happen ;  and  about  spring  he 
went  over  to  Bergthorsknoll  to  find  out  from  Njal  whether  he 
thought  it  a  wise  step  in  him  to  go  abroad. 

"  I  think  it  is  wise/'  says  Njal ;  "  they  will  think  thee  there 
an  honourable  man,  as  thou  art." 

"  Wilt  thou  perhaps  take  my  goods  into  thy  keeping  while 
I  am  away,  for  I  wish  my  brother  Kolskegg  to  fare  with  me ; 
but  I  would  that  thou  shouldst  see  after  my  household  along 
with  my  mother." 

"  I  will  not  throw  anything  in  the  way  of  that,"  says  Njal ; 
"  lean  on  me  in  this  thing  as  much  as  thou  likest." 

"  Good  go  with  thee  for  thy  words,"  says  Gunnar,  and  he 
rides  then  home. 

The  Easterling  [the  Norseman  Hallvard]  fell  again  to  talk 
with  Gunnar  that  he  should  fare  abroad.    Gunnar  asked  if  he 

1 "  Oyce,"  a  north  country  word  for  the  mouth  of  a  river,  from  the  Ice- 
landic 6s. 

2  "  The  Bay,"  the  name  given  to  the  great  bay  in  the  east  of  Norway,  the 
entrance  of  which  from  the  North  Sea  is  the  Cattegat,  and  at  the  end  of  which 
is  the  Christiania  Firth.  The  name  also  applies  to  the  land  round  the  Bay, 
which  thus  formed  a  district,  the  boundary  of  which,  on  the  one  side,  was  the 
promontory  called  Lindesnaes,  or  the  Naze,  and  on  the  other,  the  G^ta-Elf, 
the  river  on  which  the  Swedish  town  of  Gottenburg  stands,  and  off  the  mouth 
of  which  lies  the  island  of  Hisingen,  mentioned  shortly  after. 


GUNNAR  GOES  ABROAD.  47 


had  ever  sailed  to  other  lands  ?  He  said  he  had  sailed  to 
every  one  of  them  that  lay  between  Norway  and  Russia,  and 
so,  too,  I  have  sailed  to  Biarmaland.1 

"  Wilt  thou  sail  with  me  eastward  ho  ?  "  says  Gunnar. 

"  That  I  will  of  a  surety/'  says  he. 

Then  Gunnar  made  up  his  mind  to  sail  abroad  with  him. 
Njal  took  all  Gunnar's  goods  into  his  keeping. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

GUNNAR  GOES  ABROAD. 

So  Gunnar  fared  abroad,  and  Kolskegg  with  him.  They  sailed 
first  to  Tonsberg,2  and  were  there  that  winter.  There  had 
then  been  a  shift  of  rulers  in  Norway.  Harold  Grayfell  was 
then  dead,  and  so  was  Gunnhillda.  Earl  Hacon  the  Bad, 
Sigurd's  son,  Hacon' s  son,  Gritgarth's  son,  then  ruled  the 
realm.  The  mother  of  Hacon  was  Bergliot,  the  daughter  of 
Earl  Thorir.  Her  mother  was  Olof  harvest-heal.  She  was 
Harold  Fair-hair's  daughter. 

Hallvard  asks  Gunnar  if  he  would  make  up  his  mind  to  go 
to  Earl  Hacon  ? 

u  No  ;  I  will  not  do  that,"  says  Gunnar.  "  Hast  thou  ever 
a  long-ship  ?  " 

"  I  have  two,"  he  says. 

u  Then  I  would  that  we  two  went  on  warfare  ;  and  let  us 
get  men  to  go  with  us." 

"  I  will  do  that,"  says  Hallvard. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  Bay,  and  took  with  them  two 
ships,  and  fitted  them  out  thence.  They  had  good  choice  of 
men,  for  much  praise  was  said  of  Gunnar. 

"Whither  wilt  thou  first  fare  ?"  says  Gunnar. 

"  I  wish  to  go  south-east  to  Hisingen,  to  see  my  kinsman 
Oliver,"  says  Hallvard. 

"What  dost  thou  want  of  him  ?  "  says  Gunnar. 

He  answered — "  He  is  a  fine  brave  fellow,  and  he  will  be 
sure  to  get  us  some  more  strength  for  our  voyage  ". 

1  Permia,  the  country  one  comes  to  after  doubling  the  North  Cape. 

2  A  town  at  the  mouth  of  the  Christiania  Firth.  It  was  a  great  place  for 
traffic  in  early  times,  and  was  long  the  only  mart  in  the  south-east  of  Norway. 


48     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"Then  let  us  go  thither/ '  says  Gunnar. 

So,  as  soon  as  they  were  "boun,"  they  held  on  east  to 
Hisingen,  and  had  there  a  hearty  welcome.  Gunnar  had  only 
been  there  a  short  time  ere  Oliver  made  much  of  him.  Oliver 
asks  about  his  voyage,  and  Hallvard  says  that  Gunnar  wishes 
to  go  a-warfaring  to  gather  goods  for  himself. 

"There's  no  use  thinking  of  that/'  says  Oliver,  "when  ye 
have  no  force/ ' 

"  Well,"  says  Hallvard,  "then  you  may  add  to  it." 

"  So  I  do  mean  to  strengthen  Gunnar  somewhat,"  says 
Oliver  ;  "  and  though  thou  reckonest  thyself  my  kith  and  kin, 
I  think  there  is  more  good  in  him." 

"  What  force,  now,  wilt  thou  add  to  ours  ?  "  he  asks. 

"Two  long-ships,  one  with  twenty,  and  the  other  with 
thirty  seats  for  rowers." 

"  Who  shall  man  them  ?  "  asks  Hallvard. 

"  I  will  man  one  of  them  with  my  own  house-carles,  and 
the  freemen  around  shall  man  the  other.  But  still  I  have 
found  out  that  strife  has  come  into  the  river,  and  I  know 
not  whether  ye  two  will  be  able  to  get  away ;  for  they  are 
in  the  river." 

"  Who  ?  "  says  Hallvard. 

"  Brothers  twain,"  says  Oliver  ;  "  one's  name  is  Vandil,  and 
the  others  Karli,  sons  of  Sjolf  the  Old,  east  away  out  of 
Gothland." 

Hallvard  told  Gunnar  that  Oliver  had  added  some  ships  to 
theirs,  and  Gunnar  was  glad  at  that.  They  busked  them  for 
their  voyage  thence,  till  they  were  "  all-boun  ".  Then  Gunnar 
and  Hallvard  went  before  Oliver,  and  thanked  him ;  he  bade 
them  fare  warily  for  the  sake  of  those  brothers. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

GUNNAR  GOES  A-SEA-ROVING. 

So  Gunnar  held  on  out  of  the  river,  and  he  and  Kolskegg 
were  both  on  board  one  ship.  But  Hallvard  was  on  board 
another.  Now,  they  see  the  ships  before  them,  and  then 
Gunnar  spoke,  and  said — 

*  -"Let  us  be  ready  for  anything  if  they  turn  towards  us! 
but  else  let  us  have  nothing  to  do  with  them." 


GUNNAR  GOES  A-SEA-ROVING.  49 


So  they  did  that,  and  made  all  ready  on  board  their  ships. 
The  others  parted  their  ships  asunder,  and  made  a  fareway 
between  the  ships.  Gunnar  fared  straight  on  between  the 
ships,  but  Vandil  caught  up  a  grappling-iron,  and  cast  it 
between  their  ships  and  Gunnar  s  ship,  and  began  at  once 
to  drag  it  towards  him. 

Oliver  had  given  Gunnar  a  good  sword  ;  Gunnar  now  drew 
it,  and  had  not  yet  put  on  his  helm.  He  leapt  at  once  on  the 
forecastle  of  VandiFs  ship,  and  gave  one  man  his  death-blow. 
Karli  ran  his  ship  alongside  the  other  side  of  Gunnar's  ship, 
and  hurled  a  spear  athwart  the  deck,  and  aimed  at  him  about 
the  waist.  Gunnar  sees  this,  and  turned  him  about  so  quickly, 
that  no  eye  could  follow  him,  and  caught  the  spear  with  his 
left  hand,  and  hurled  it  back  at  Karli's  ship,  and  that  man 
got  his  death  who  stood  before  it.  Kolskegg  snatched  up  a 
grapnel  and  casts  it  at  Karli's  ship,  and  the  fluke  fell  inside 
the  hold,  and  went  out  through  one  of  the  planks,  and  in 
rushed  the  coal -blue  sea,  and  all  the  men  sprang  on  board 
other  ships. 

Now  Gunnar  leapt  back  to  his  own  ship,  and  then  Hallvard 
came  up,  and  now  a  great  battle  arose.  They  saw  now  that 
their  leader  was  unflinching,  and  every  man  did  as  well  as  he 
could.  Sometimes  Gunnar  smote  with  the  sword,  and  some- 
times he  hurled  the  spear,  and  many  a  man  had  his  bane  at 
his  hand.  Kolskegg  backed  him  well.  As  for  Karli,  he 
hastened  in  a  ship  to  his  brother  Vandil,  and  thence  they 
fought  that  day.  During  the  day  Kolskegg  took  a  rest  on 
Gunnars  ship,  and  Gunnar  sees  that.    Then  he  sung  a  song — 

For  the  eagle  ravine-eager, 
Raven  of  my  race,  to-day 
Better  surely  hast  thou  catered, 
Lord  of  gold,  than  for  thyself; 
Here  the  morn  come  greedy  ravens, 
Many  a  rill  of  wolf  *  to  sup, 
But  thee  burning  thirst  down-beareth, 
Prince  of  battle's  Parliament ! 

After  that  Kolskegg  took  a  beaker  full  of  mead,  and  drank  it 
off,  and  went  on  fighting  afterwards ;  and  so  it  came  about 
that  those  brothers  sprang  up  on  the  ship  of  Vandil  and  his 
brother,  and  Kolskegg  went  on  one  side,  and  Gunnar  on  the 
other.  Against  Gunnar  came  Vandil,  and  smote  at  once  at 
him  with  his  sword,  and  the  blow  fell  on  his  shield.  Gunnar 


*  Rill  of  wolf— stream  of  blood. 
4 


50     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


gave  the  shield  a  twist  as  the  sword  pierced  it,  and  broke  it 
short  off  at  the  hilt.  Then  Gunnar  smote  back  at  Vandil,  and 
three  swords  seemed  to  be  aloft,  and  Vandil  could  not  see  how 
to  shun  the  blow.  Then  Gunnar  cut  both  his  legs  from  under 
him,  and  at  the  same  time  Kolskegg  ran  Karli  through  with  a 
spear.    After  that  they  took  great  war  spoil. 

Thence  they  held  on  south  to  Denmark,  and  thence  east  to 
Smoland,1  and  had  victory  wherever  they  went.  They  did  not 
come  back  in  autumn.  The  next  summer  they  held  on  to 
Reval,  and  fell  in  there  with  sea-rovers,  and  fought  at  once, 
and  won  the  fight.  After  that  they  steered  east  to  Osel,2  and 
lay  there  somewhile  under  a  ness.  There  they  saw  a  man 
coming  down  from  the  ness  above  them ;  Gunnar  went  on 
shore  to  meet  the  man,  and  they  had  a  talk.  Gunnar  asked 
him  his  name,  and  he  said  it  was  Ton.  Gunnar  asked  again 
what  he  wanted. 

u  Thee  I  want  to  see,"  says  the  man.  "  Two  warships  lie 
on  the  other  side  under  the  ness,  and  I  will  tell  thee  who 
command  them  :  two  brothers  are  the  captains — one's  name 
is  Hallgrim,  and  the  others  Kolskegg.  I  know  them  to  be 
mighty  men  of  war  ;  and  I  know  too  that  they  have  such  good 
weapons  that  the  like  are  not  to  be  had.  Hallgrim  has  a  bill 
which  he  had  made  by  seething-spells ;  and  this  is  what  the 
spells  say,  that  no  weapon  shall  give  him  his  death-blow  save 
that  bill.  That  thing  follows  it  too  that  it  is  known  at  once 
when  a  man  is  to  be  slain  with  that  bill,  for  something  sings 
in  it  so  loudly  that  it  may  be  heard  a  long  way  off — such  a 
strong  nature  has  that  bill  in  it." 

Then  Gunnar  sang  a  song — 

Soon  shall  I  that  spearhead  seize, 

And  the  bold  sea-rover  slay, 

Him  whose  blows  on  headpiece  ring, 

Heaper  up  of  piles  of  dead. 

Then  on  Endil's  courser  *  bounding, 

O'er  the  sea-depths  I  will  ride, 

While  the  wretch  who  spells  abuseth, 

Life  shall  lose  in  Sigar's  storm,  f 

"  Kolskegg  has  a  short  sword  ;  that  is  also  the  best  of 
weapons.  Force,  too,  they  have — a  third  more  than  ye. 
They  have  also  much  goods,  and  have  stowed  them  away  on 

1 A  province  of  Sweden. 

2  An  island  in  the  Baltic,  off  the  coast  of  Esthonia. 
*  Endil's  courser — periphrasis  for  a  ship, 
f  Sigar's  storm — periphrasis  for  a  sea-fight. 


GUNNAR  GOES  A-SEA-ROVING. 


51 


land,  and  I  know  clearly  where  they  are.  But  they  have  sent 
a  spy-ship  off  the  ness,  and  they  know  all  about  you.  Now 
they  are  getting  themselves  ready  as  fast  as  they  can  ;  and  as 
soon  as  they  are  'boun/  they  mean  to  run  out  against  you. 
Now  you  have  either  to  row  away  at  once,  or  to  busk  your- 
selves as  quickly  as  ye  can ;  but  if  ye  win  the  day,  then  I  will 
lead  you  to  all  their  store  of  goods.' ' 

Gunnar  gave  him  a  golden  finger-ring,  and  went  afterwards 
to  his  men  and  told  them  that  war-ships  lay  on  the  other  side 
of  the  ness,  "  and  they  know  all  about  us ;  so  let  us  take  to 
our  arms,  and  busk  us  well,  for  now  there  is  gain  to  be  got 

Then  they  busked  them  ;  and  just  when  they  were  boun 
they  see  ships  coming  up  to  them.  And  now  a  fight  sprung 
up  between  them,  and  they  fought  long,  and  many  men  fell. 
Gunnar  slew  many  a  man.  Hallgrim  and  his  men  leapt  on 
board  Gunnar' s  ship.  Gunnar  turns  to  meet  him,  and  Hall- 
grim  thrust  at  him  with  his  bill.  There  was  a  boom  athwart 
the  ship,  and  Gunnar  leapt  nimbly  back  over  it.  Gunnar's 
shield  was  just  before  the  boom,  and  Hallgrim  thrust  his  bill 
into  it,  and  through  it,  and  so  on  into  the  boom.  Gunnar  cut 
at  Hallgrim's  arm  hard,  and  lamed  the  forearm,  but  the  sword 
would  not  bite.  Then  down  fell  the  bill,  and  Gunnar  seized 
the  bill,  and  thrust  Hallgrim  through,  and  then  sang  a 
song — 

Slain  is  he  who  spoiled  the  people, 
Lashing  them  with  flashing  steel ; 
Heard  have  I  how  Hallgrim's  magic 
Helm-rod  forged  in  foreign  land  ; 
All  men  know,  of  heart-strings  doughty, 
How  this  bill  hath  come  to  me, 
Deft  in  fight,  the  wolf's  dear  feeder, 
Death  alone  us  two  shall  part. 

And  that  vow  Gunnar  kept,  in  that  he  bore  the  bill  while  he 
lived.  Those  namesakes  [the  two  Kolskeggs]  fought  together, 
and  it  was  a  near  thing  which  would  get  the  better  of  it. 
Then  Gunnar  came  up,  and  gave  the  other  Kolskegg  his  death- 
blow. After  that  the  sea-rovers  begged  for  mercy.  Gunnar 
let  them  have  that  choice,  and  he  let  them  also  count  the 
slain,  and  take  the  goods  which  the  dead  men  owned,  but  he 
gave  the  others  whom  he  spared  their  arms  and  their  clothing, 
and  bade  them  be  off  to  the  lands  that  fostered  them.  So  they 
went  off,  and  Gunnar  took  all  the  goods  that  were  left  behind. 

Tofi  came  to  Gunnar  after  the  battle,  and  offered  to  lead 
him  to  that  store  of  goods  which  the  sea-rovers  had  stowed 


52     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


away,  and  said  that  it  was  both  better  and  larger  than  that 
which  they  had  already  got. 

Gunnar  said  he  was  willing  to  go,  and  so  he  went  ashore, 
and  Ton  before  him,  to  a  wood,  and  Gunnar  behind  him. 
They  came  to  a  place  where  a  great  heap  of  wood  was  piled 
together.  Ton  says  the  goods  were  under  there,  then  they 
tossed  off  the  wood,  and  found  under  it  both  gold  and  silver, 
clothes  and  good  weapons.  They  bore  those  goods  to  the 
ships,  and  Gunnar  asks  Ton  in  what  way  he  wished  him  to 
repay  him. 

Ton  answered,  "  I  am  a  Dansk  man  by  race,  and  I  wish 
thou  wouldst  bring  me  to  my  kinsfolk 

Gunnar  asks  why  he  was  there  away  east  ? 

"  I  was  taken  by  sea-rovers,"  says  Ton,  "  and  they  put  me 
on  land  here  in  Osel,  and  here  I  have  been  ever  since." 

k 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

GUNNAR  GOES  TO  KING  HAROLD  GORM'S  SON  AND  EARL  HACON. 

Gunnar  took  Ton  on  board,  and  said  to  Kolskegg  and  Hall- 
vard,  "Now  we  will  hold  our  course  for  the  north  lands 

They  were  well  pleased  at  that,  and  bade  him  have  his 
way.  So  Gunnar  sailed  from  the  east  with  much  goods.  He 
had  ten  ships,  and  ran  in  with  them  to  Heidarby  in  Denmark. 
King  Harold  Gorm's  son  was  there  up  the  country,  and  he 
was  told  about  Gunnar,  and  how  too  that  there  was  no  man 
his  match  in  all  Iceland.  He  sent  men  to  him  to  ask  him  to 
come  to  him,  and  Gunnar  went  at  once  to  see  the  king,  and 
the  king  made  him  a  hearty  welcome,  and  sat  him  down  next 
to  himself.  Gunnar  was  there  half  a  month.  The  king  made 
himself  sport  by  letting  Gunnar  prove  himself  in  divers  feats 
of  strength  against  his  men,  and  there  were  none  that  were  his 
match  even  in  one  feat. 

Then  the  king  said  to  Gunnar,  "  It  seems  to  me  as  though 
thy  peer  is  not  to  be  found  far  or  near,"  and  the  king  offered 
to  get  Gunnar  a  wife,  and  to  raise  him  to  great  power  if  he 
would  settle  down  there. 

Gunnar  thanked  the  king  for  his  offer  and  said — "  I  will 
first  of  all  sail  back  to  Iceland  to  see  my  friends  and  kins- 
folk". 


GUNNAR  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND.  53 


"Then  thou  wilt  never  come  back  to  us,"  says  the  king. 

"  Fate  will  settle  that,  lord/'  says  Gunnar. 

Gunnar  gave  the  king  a  good  long-ship,  and  much  goods 
besides,  and  the  king  gave  him  a  robe  of  honour,  and  golden- 
seamed  gloves,  and  a  fillet  with  a  knot  of  gold  on  it,  and  a 
Russian  hat. 

Then  Gunnar  fared  north  to  Hisingen.  Oliver  welcomed 
him  with  both  hands,  and  he  gave  back  to  Oliver  his  ships, 
with  their  lading,  and  said  that  was  his  share  of  the  spoil. 
Oliver  took  the  goods,  and  said  Gunnar  was  a  good  man  and 
true,  and  bade  him  stay  with  him  some  while.  Hallvard  asked 
Gunnar  if  he  had  a  mind  to  go  to  see  Earl  Hacon.  Gunnar 
said  that  was  near  his  heart,  "  for  now  I  am  somewhat  proved, 
but  then  I  was  not  tried  at  all  when  thou  badest  me  do  this 
before 

After  that  they  fared  north  to  Drontheim  to  see  Earl 
Hacon,  and  he  gave  Gunnar  a  hearty  welcome,  and  bade  him 
stay  with  him  that  winter,  and  Gunnar  took  that  offer,  and 
every  man  thought  him  a  man  of  great  worth.  At  Yule  the 
Earl  gave  him  a  gold  ring. 

Gunnar  set  his  heart  on  Bergliota,  the  Earl's  kinswoman, 
and  it  was  often  to  be  seen  from  the  Earl's  way,  that  he  would 
have  given  her  to  him  to  wife  if  Gunnar  had  said  anything 
about  that. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

GUNNAR  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

When  the  spring  came,  the  Earl  asks  Gunnar  what  course  he 
meant  to  take.  He  said  he  would  go  to  Iceland.  The  Earl 
said  that  had  been  a  bad  year  for  grain,  "and  there  will  be 
little  sailing  out  to  Iceland,  but  still  thou  shalt  have  meal  and 
timber  both  in  thy  ship  ". 

Gunnar  fitted  out  his  ship  as  early  as  he  could,  and  Hall- 
vard fared  out  with  him  and  Kolskegg.  They  came  out  early 
in  the  summer,  and  made  Arnbael's  Oyce  before  the  Thing 
met. 

Gunnar  rode  home  from  the  ship,  but  got  men  to  strip  her 
and  lay  her  up.    But  when  they  came  home  all  men  were 


54     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


glad  to  see  them.  They  were  blithe  and  merry  to  their 
household,  nor  had  their  haughtiness  grown  while  they  were 
away. 

Gunnar  asks  if  Njal  were  at  home ;  and  he  was  told  that 
he  was  at  home  ;  then  he  let  them  saddle  his  horse,  and  those 
brothers  rode  over  to  Bergthorsknoll. 

Njal  was  glad  at  their  coming,  and  begged  them  to  stay 
there  that  night,  and  Gunnar  told  him  of  his  voyages. 

Njal  said  he  was  a  man  of  the  greatest  mark,  "  and  thou 
hast  been  much  proved  ;  but  still  thou  wilt  be  more  tried 
hereafter  ;  for  many  will  envy  thee 

With  all  men  I  would  wish  to  stand  well,"  says  Gunnar. 

"  Much  bad  will  happen/'  says  Njal,  "and  thou  wilt  always 
have  some  quarrel  to  ward  off." 

"So  be  it,  then,"  says  Gunnar,  "so  that  I  have  a  good 
ground  on  my  side." 

"  So  will  it  be  too,"  says  Njal,  "  if  thou  hast  not  to  smart 
for  others." 

Njal  asked  Gunnar  if  he  would  ride  to  the  Thing.  Gunnar 
said  he  was  going  to  ride  thither,  and  asks  Njal  whether  he 
were  going  to  ride  ;  but  he  said  he  would  not  ride  thither, 
"and  if  I  had  my  will  thou  wouldst  do  the  like  ". 

Gunnar  rode  home,  and  gave  Njal  good  gifts,  and  thanked 
him  for  the  care  he  had  taken  of  his  goods.  Kolskegg  urged 
him  on  much  to  ride  to  the  Thing,  saying,  "  There  thy  honour 
will  grow,  for  many  will  flock  to  see  thee  there  ". 

"  That  has  been  little  to  my  mind,"  says  Gunnar,  "  to  make 
a  show  of  myself ;  but  I  think  it  good  and  right  to  meet  good 
and  worthy  men." 

Hallvard  by  this  time  was  also  come  thither,  and  offered 
to  ride  to  the  Thing  with  them. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

GUNNAR' S  WOOING. 

So  Gunnar  rode,  and  they  all  rode.  But  when  they  came  to 
the  Thing  they  were  so  well  arrayed  that  none  could  match 
them  in  bravery  ;  and  men  came  out  of  every  booth  to  wonder 
at  them.  Gunnar  rode  to  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Rangriver, 
and  was  there  with  his  kinsmen.    Many  men  came  to  see 


GUNNAR'S  WOOING.  55 


Gunnar,  and  ask  tidings  of  him ;  and  he  was  easy  and  merry 
to  all  men,  and  told  them  all  they  wished  to  hear. 

It  happened  one  day  that  Gunnar  went  away  from  the 
Hill  of  Laws,  and  passed  by  the  booths  of  the  men  from 
Mossfell ;  then  he  saw  a  woman  coming  to  meet  him,  and  she 
was  in  goodly  attire  ;  but  when  they  met  she  spoke  to  Gunnar 
at  once.  He  took  her  greeting  well,  and  asks  what  woman 
she  might  be.  She  told  him  her  name  was  Hallgerda,  and 
said  she  was  Hauskuld' s  daughter,  DalakolFs  son.  She  spoke 
up  boldly  to  him,  and  bade  him  tell  her  of  his  voyages ;  but 
he  said  he  would  not  gainsay  her  a  talk.  Then  they  sat  them 
down  and  talked.  She  was  so  clad  that  she  had  on  a  red 
kirtle,  and  had  thrown  over  her  a  scarlet  cloak  trimmed  with 
needlework  down  to  the  waist.  Her  hair  came  down  to  her 
bosom,  and  was  both  fair  and  full.  Gunnar  was  clad  in  the 
scarlet  clothes  which  King  Harold  Gorm's  son  had  given  him  ; 
he  had  also  the  gold  ring  on  his  arm  which  Earl  Hacon  had 
given  him. 

So  they  talked  long  out  loud,  and  at  last  it  came  about 
that  he  asked  whether  she  were  unmarried.  She  said,  so  it 
was,  "and  there  are  not  many  who  would  run  the  risk  of  that 

"  Jhinkest  thou  none  good  enough  for  thee  ?" 

"  Not  that,"  she  says,  "  but  I  am  said  to  be  hard  to  please 
in  husbands/ ' 

"  How  wouldst  thou  answer  were  I  to  ask  for  thee  ?  " 
"That  can  not  be  in  thy  mind,"  she  says. 
u  It  is  though,"  says  he. 

"If  thou  hast  any  mind  that  way,  go  and  see  my  father." 
After  that  they  broke  off  their  talk. 

Gunnar  went  straightway  to  the  Dalesmen's  booths,  and 
met  a  man  outside  the  doorway,  and  asks  whether  Hauskuld 
were  inside  the  booth  ? 

The  man  says  that  he  was.  Then  Gunnar  went  in,  and 
Hauskuld  and  Hrut  made  him  welcome.  He  sat  down  be- 
tween them,  and  no  one  could  find  out  from  their  talk  that 
there  had  ever  been  any  misunderstanding  between  them. 
At  last  Gunnar' s  speech  turned  thither ;  how  these  brothers 
would  answer  if  he  asked  for  Hallgerda  ? 

"Well,"  says  Hauskuld,  "if  that  is  indeed  thy  mind." 

Gunnar  says  that  he  is  in  earnest,  "  but  we  so  parted  last 
time,  that  many  would  think  it  unlikely  that  we  should  ever 
be  bound  together  ". 

"  How  thinkest  thou,  kinsman  Hrut  ?  "  says  Hauskuld. 


56     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Hrut  answered,  "  Methinks  this  is  no  even  match 

"  How  dost  thou  make  that  out  ?"  says  Gunnar. 

Hrut  spoke — "  In  this  wise  will  I  answer  thee  about  this 
matter,  as  is  the  very  truth.  Thou  art  a  brisk  brave  man, 
well  to  do,  and  unblemished ;  but  she  is  much  mixed  up  with 
ill  report,  and  I  will  not  cheat  thee  in  anything/' 

"Good  go  with  thee  for  thy  words,"  says  Gunnar,  "but 
still  I  shall  hold  that  for  true,  that  the  old  feud  weighs  with 
ye,  if  ye  will  not  let  me  make  this  match/' 

"Not  so/'  says  Hrut,  "'tis  more  because  I  see  that  thou 
art  unable  to  help  thyself ;  but  though  we  make  no  bargain, 
we  would  still  be  thy  friends." 

"  I  have  talked  to  her  about  it,"  says  Gunnar,  "  and  it  is 
not  far  from  her  mind." 

Hrut  says — "  I  know  that  you  have  both  set  your  hearts 
on  this  match ;  and,  besides,  ye  two  are  those  who  run  the 
most  risk  as  to  how  it  turns  out ". 

Hrut  told  Gunnar  unasked  all  about  Hallgerda's  temper, 
and  Gunnar  at  first  thought  that  there  was  more  than  enough 
that  was  wanting ;  but  at  last  it  came  about  that  they  struck 
a  bargain. 

Then  Hallgerda  was  sent  for,  and  they  talked  over  the 
business  when  she  was  by,  and  now,  as  before,  they  made  her 
betroth  herself.  The  bridal  feast  was  to  be  at  Lithend,  and 
at  first  they  were  to  set  about  it  secretly ;  but  the  end  after 
all  was  that  every  one  knew  of  it. 

Gunnar  rode  home  from  the  Thing,  and  came  to  Bergthors- 
knoll,  and  told  Njal  of  the  bargain  he  had  made.  He  took  it 
heavily. 

Gunnar  asks  Njal  why  he  thought  this  so  unwise  ? 

"Because  from  her,"  says  Njal,  "will  arise  all  kind  of  ill  if 
she  comes  hither  east." 

"  Never  shall  she  spoil  our  friendship,"  says  Gunnar. 

"  Ah!  but  yet  that  may  come  very  near,"  says  Njal ;  "and, 
besides,  thou  wilt  have  always  to  make  atonement  for  her." 

Gunnar  asked  Njal  to  the  wedding,  and  all  those  as  well 
whom  he  wished  should  be  at  it  from  Njal's  house. 

Njal  promised  to  go ;  and  after  that  Gunnar  rode  home, 
and  then  rode  about  the  district  to  bid  men  to  his  wedding. 


OF  THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON.  57 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

OF  THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON. 

There  was  a  man  named  Thrain,  he  was  the  son  of  Sigfus, 
the  son  of  Sighvat  the  Red.  He  kept  house  at  Gritwater  on 
Fleetlithe.  He  was  Gunnar's  kinsman,  and  a  man  of  great 
mark.  He  had  to  wife  Thorhillda  Skaldwife ;  she  had  a 
sharp  tongue  of  her  own,  and  was  giving  to  jeering.  Thrain 
loved  her  little.  He  and  his  wife  were  bidden  to  the  wedding, 
and  she  and  Bergthora,  Skarphedinn's  daughter,  Njal's  wife, 
waited  on  the  guests  with  meat  and  drink. 

Kettle  was  the  name  of  the  second  son  of  Sigfus  ;  he  kept 
house  in  the  Mark,  east  of  Markfleet.  He  had  to  wife  Thor- 
gerda,  Njal's  daughter.  Thorkell  was  the  name  of  the  third 
son  of  Sigfus  ;  the  fourth's  name  was  Mord  ;  the  fifth's  Lambi ; 
the  sixth's  Sigmund ;  the  seventh's  Sigurd.  These  were  all 
Gunnar's  kinsmen,  and  great  champions.  Gunnar  bade  them 
all  to  the  wedding. 

Gunnar  had  also  bidden  Valgard  the  guileful,  and  Wolf 
Aurpriest,  and  their  sons  Runolf  and  Mord. 

Hauskuld  and  Hrut  came  to  the  wedding  with  a  very  great 
company,  and  the  sons  of  Hauskuld,  Torleik,  and  Olof,  were 
there  ;  the  bride,  too,  came  along  with  them,  and  her  daughter 
Thorgerda  came  also,  and  she  was  one  of  the  fairest  of  women  ; 
she  was  then  fourteen  winters  old.  Many  other  women  were 
with  her,  and  besides  there  were  Thorkatla  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's 
son's  daughter,  and  Njal's  two  daughters,  Thorgerda  and  Helga. 

Gunnar  had  already  many  guests  to  meet  them,  and  he 
thus  arranged  his  men.  He  sat  on  the  middle  of  the  bench, 
and  on  the  inside,  away  from  him,  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  then 
Wolf  Aurpriest,  then  Valgard  the  guileful,  then  Mord  and 
Runolf,  then  the  other  sons  of  Sigfus,  Lambi  sat  outermost 
of  them. 

Next  to  Gunnar  on  the  outside,  away  from  him,  sat  Njal, 
then  Skarphedinn,  then  Helgi,  then  Grim,  then  Hauskuld 
Njal's  son,  then  Hafr  the  Wise,  then  Ingialld  from  the 
Springs,  then  the  sons  of  Thorir  from  Holt  away  east.  Thorir 
would  sit  outermost  of  the  men  of  mark,  for  every  one  was 
pleased  with  the  seat  he  got. 

Hauskuld,  the  bride's  father,  sat  on  the  middle  of  the 
bench  over  against  Gunnar,  but  his  sons  sat  on  the  inside 


58     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


away  from  him  ;  Hrut  sat  on  the  outside  away  from  Hauskuld, 
but  it  is  not  said  how  the  others  were  placed.  The  bride  sat 
in  the  middle  of  the  cross-bench  on  the  dais ;  but  on  one 
hand  of  her  sat  her  daughter  Thorgerda,  and  on  the  other 
Thorkatla  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son's  daughter. 

Thorhillda  went  about  waiting  on  the  guests,  and  Bergthora 
bore  the  meat  on  the  board. 

Now  Thrain  Sigfus'  son  kept  staring  at  Thorgerda  Glum's 
daughter  ;  his  wife  Thorhillda  saw  this,  and  she  got  wroth, 
and  made  a  couplet  upon  him. 

"Thrain,"  she  says, 

' 1  Gaping  mouths  are  no  wise  good, 
Goggle  eyne  are  in  thy  head." 

He  rose  at  once  up  from  the  board,  and  said  he  would  put 
Thorhillda  away.  "I  will  not  bear  her  jibes  and  jeers  any 
longer ; "  and  he  was  so  quarrelsome  about  this,  that  he  would 
not  be  at  the  feast  unless  she  were  driven  away.  And  so  it 
was,  that  she  went  away ;  and  now  each  man  sat  in  his  place, 
and  they  drank  and  were  glad. 

Then  Thrain  began  to  speak — "  I  will  not  whisper  about 
that  which  is  in  my  mind.  This  I  will  ask  thee,  Hauskuld 
DalakolFs  son,  wilt  thou  give  me  to  wife  Thorgerda,  thy  kins- 
woman ? " 

"  I  do  not  know  that,"  says  Hauskuld  ;  "  methinks  thou  art 
ill  parted  from  the  one  thou  hadst  before.  But  what  kind  of 
man  is  he,  Gunnar  ?  " 

Gunnar  answers — "  I  will  not  say  aught  about  the  man, 
because  he  is  near  of  kin ;  but  say  thou  about  him,  Njal,"  says 
Gunnar,  "  for  all  men  will  believe  it 

Njal  spoke,  and  said — "That  is  to  be  said  of  this  man, 
that  the  man  is  well  to  do  for  wealth,  and  a  proper  man  in  all 
things.  A  man,  too,  of  the  greatest  mark  ;  so  that  ye  may 
well  make  this  match  with  him/' 

Then  Hauskuld  spoke — "What  thinkest  thou  we  ought 
to  do,  kinsman  Hrut  ?  " 

"  Thou  mayst  make  the  match,  because  it  is  an  even  one 
for  her,"  says  Hrut. 

Then  they  talk  about  the  terms  of  the  bargain,  and  are 
soon  of  one  mind  on  all  points. 

Then  Gunnar  stands  up,  and  Thrain  too,  and  they  go  to 
the  cross-bench.  Gunnar  asked  that  mother  and  daughter 
whether  they  would  say  yes  to  this  bargain.    They  said  they 


THE  VISIT  TO  BERGTHORSKNOLL.  59 


would  find  no  fault  with  it,  and  Hallgerda  betrothed  her 
daughter.  Then  the  places  of  the  women  were  shifted  again, 
and  now  Thorhalla  sate  between  the  brides.  And  now  the 
feast  sped  on  well,  and  when  it  was  over,  Hauskuld  and  his 
company  ride  west,  but  the  men  of  Rangriver  rode  to  their 
own  abode.  Gunnar  gave  many  men  gifts,  and  that  made 
him  much  liked. 

Hallgerda  took  the  housekeeping  under  her,  and  stood  up 
for  her  rights  in  word  and  deed.  Thorgerda  took  to  house- 
keeping at  Gritwater,  and  was  a  good  housewife. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  VISIT  TO  BERGTHORSKNOLL. 

Now  it  was  the  custom  between  Gunnar  and  Njal,  that  each 
made  the  other  a  feast,  winter  and  winter  about,  for  friend- 
ship's sake  ;  and  it  was  Gunnar' s  turn  to  go  to  feast  at  Njal's. 
So  Gunnar  and  Hallgerda  set  off  for  Bergthorsknoll,  and  when 
they  got  there  Helgi  and  his  wife  were  not  at  home.  Njal 
gave  Gunnar  and  his  wife  a  hearty  welcome,  and  when  they 
had  been  there  a  little  while,  Helgi  came  home  with  Thorhalla 
his  wife.  Then  Bergthora  went  up  to  the  cross-bench,  and 
Thorhalla  with  her,  and  Bergthora  said  to  Hallgerda — 

"Thou  shalt  give  place  to  this  woman/' 

She  answered — "To  no  one  will  I  give  place,  for  I  will 
not  be  driven  into  the  corner  for  any  one 

"  I  shall  rule  here/'  said  Bergthora.  After  that  Thorhalla 
sat  down,  and  Bergthora  went  round  the  table  with  water  to 
wash  the  guests'  hands.  Then  Hallgerda  took  hold  of  Berg- 
thora's  hand,  and  said — 

"There's  not  much  to  choose,  though,  between  you  two. 
Thou  hast  hangnails  on  every  finger,  aifl  Njal  is  beardless." 

"That's  true/'  says  Bergthora,  "yet  neither  of  us  finds 
fault  with  the  other  for  it ;  but  Thorwald,  thy  husband,  was 
not  beardless,  and  yet  thou  plottedst  his  death." 

Then  Hallgerda  said — "  It  stands  me  in  little  stead  to 
have  the  bravest  man  in  Iceland  if  thou  dost  not  avenge 
this,  Gunnar!" 

He  sprang  up  and  strode  across  away  from  the  board,  and 


60     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

said — "  Home  I  will  go,  and  it  were  more  seemly  that  thou 
shouldest  wrangle  with  those  of  thine  own  household,  and  not 
under  other  men's  roofs  ;  but  as  for  Njal,  I  am  his  debtor  for 
much  honour,  and  never  will  I  be  egged  on  by  thee  like  a 
fool 

After  that  they  set  off  home. 

"Mind  this,  Bergthora,"  said  Hallgerda,  "that  we  shall 
meet  again." 

Bergthora  said  she  should  not  be  better  off  for  that. 
Gunnar  said  nothing  at  all,  but  went  home  to  Lithend,  and 
was  there  at  home  all  the  winter.  And  now  the  summer  was 
running  on  towards  the  Great  Thing. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

KOL  SLEW  SWART. 

Gunnar  rode  away  to  the  Thing,  but  before  he  rode  from 
home  he  said  to  Hallgerda — "  Be  good  now  while  I  am  away, 
and  show  none  of  thine  ill  temper  in  anything  with  which 
my  friends  have  to  do 

"The  trolls  take  thy  friends/'  says  Hallgerda. 

So  Gunnar  rode  to  the  Thing,  and  saw  it  was  not  good  to 
come  to  words  with  her.  Njal  rode  to  the  Thing  too,  and 
all  his  sons  with  him. 

Now  it  must  be  told  of  what  tidings  happened  at  home. 
Njal  and  Gunnar  owned  a  wood  in  common  at  Redslip ;  they 
had  not  shared  the  wood,  but  each  was  wont  to  hew  in  it  as 
he  needed,  and  neither  said  a  word  to  the  other  about  that. 
Hallgerda's  grieve's 1  name  was  Kol ;  he  had  been  with  her 
long,  and  was  one  of  the  worst  of  men.  There  was  a  man 
named  Swart ;  he  was  Njal's  and  Bergthora's  house-carle  ; 
they  were  very  fond  of  him.  Now  Bergthora  told  him  that  he 
must  go  up  into  Redslip  and  hew  wood ;  but  she  said — "  I 
will  get  men  to  draw  home  the  wood 

He  said  he  would  do  the  work  she  set  him  to  win ;  and 
so  he  went  up  into  Redslip,  and  was  to  be  there  a  week. 

Some  gangrel  men  came  to  Lithend  from  the  east  across 
Markfleet,  and  said  that  Swart  had  been  in  Redslip,  and 
hewn  wood,  and  done  a  deal  of  work. 


1  Grieve,  i.e.,  bailiff,  head  workman. 


KOL  SLEW  SWART.  61 


"  So,"  says  Hallgerda,  "  Bergthora  must  mean  to  rob  me  in 
many  things,  but  I'll  take  care  that  he  does  not  hew  again." 

Rannveig,  Gunnar's  mother,  heard  that,  and  said — "  There 
have  been  good  housewives  before  now,  though  they  never 
set  their  hearts  on  manslaughter". 

Now  the  night  wore  away,  and  early  next  morning  Hall- 
gerda  came  to  speak  to  Kol,  and  said — "  I  have  thought  of 
some  work  for  thee "  ;  and  with  that  she  put  weapons  into 
his  hands,  and  went  on  to  say — "  Fare  thou  to  Redslip  ;  there 
wilt  thou  find  Swart ". 

"What  shall  I  do  to  him  ?  "  he  says. 

u  Askest  thou  that  when  thou  art  the  worst  of  men  ? " 
she  says.    "Thou  shalt  kill  him." 

"  I  can  get  that  done,"  he  says,  "  but  'tis  more  likely  that 
I  shall  lose  my  own  life  for  it." 

"Everything  grows  big  in  thy  eyes,"  she  says,  "and  thou 
behavest  ill  to  say  this  after  I  have  spoken  up  for  thee  in 
everything.  I  must  get  another  man  to  do  this  if  thou  darest 
not." 

He  took  the  axe,  and  was  very  wroth,  and  takes  a  horse 
that  Gunnar  owned,  and  rides  now  till  he  comes  east  of 
Markfleet.  There  he  got  off  and  bided  in  the  wood,  till  they 
had  carried  down  the  firewood,  and  Swart  was  left  alone 
behind.  Then  Kol  sprang  on  him,  and  said — "  More  folk 
can  hew  great  strokes  than  thou  alone  "  ;  and  so  he  laid  the 
axe  on  his  head,  and  smote  him  his  death-blow,  and  rides 
home  afterwards,  and  tells  Hallgerda  of  the  slaying.  . 

She  said — "  I  shall  take  such  good  care  of  thee,  that  no 
harm  shall  come  to  thee  ". 

"May  be  so,"  says  he,  "but  I  dreamt  all  the  other  way  as 
I  slept  ere  I  did  the  deed." 

Now  they  come  up  into  the  wood,  and  find  Swart  slain, 
and  bear  him  home.  Hallgerda  sent  a  man  to  Gunnar  at  the 
Thing  to  tell  him  of  the  slaying.  Gunnar  said  no  hard  words 
at  first  of  Hallgerda  to  the  messenger,  and  men  knew  not  at 
first  whether  he  thought  well  or  ill  of  it.  A  little  after  he 
stood  up,  and  bade  his  men  go  with  him  :  they  did  so,  and 
fared  to  Njal's  booth.  Gunnar  sent  a  man  to  fetch  Njal,  and 
begged  him  to  come  out.  Njal  went  out  at  once,  and  he  and 
Gunnar  fell  a-talking,  and  Gunnar  said — 

"  I  have  to  tell  thee  of  the  slaying  of  a  man,  and  my  wife 
and  my  grieve  Kol  were  those  who  did  it ;  but  Swart,  thy 
house-carle,  fell  before  them." 


62     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Njal  held  his  peace  while  he  told  him  the  whole  story. 
Then  Njal  spoke — 

"Thou  must  take  heed  not  to  let  her  have  her  way  in 
every  thing." 

Gunnar  said — "  Thou  thyself  shall  settle  the  terms 
Njal  spoke  again — "  'Twill  be  hard  work  for  thee  to  atone 
for  all  Hallgerda  s  mischief ;  and  somewhere  else  there  will 
be  a  broader  trail  to  follow  than  this  which  we  two  now  have 
a  share  in,  and  yet,  even  here  there  will  be  much  awanting 
before  all  be  well ;  and  herein  we  shall  need  to  bear  in  mind 
the  friendly  words  that  passed  between  us  of  old ;  and  some- 
thing tells  me  that  thou  wilt  come  well  out  of  it,  but  still 
thou  wilt  be  sore  tried 

Then  Njal  took  the  award  into  his  own  hands  from  Gunnar, 
and  said — 

u  I  will  not  push  this  matter  to  the  uttermost ;  thou  shalt 
pay  twelve  ounces  of  silver ;  but  I  will  add  this  to  my  award, 
that  if  anything  happens  from  our  homestead  about  which 
thou  hast  to  utter  an  award,  thou  wilt  not  be  less  easy  in  thy 
terms 

Gunnar  paid  up  the  money  out  of  hand,  and  rode  home 
afterwards.  Njal,  too,  came  home  from  the  Thing,  and  his 
sons.    Bergthora  saw  the  money,  and  said — 

"This  is  very  justly  settled;  but  even  as  much  money 
shall  be  paid  for  Kol  as  time  goes  on." 

Gunnar  came  home  from  the  Thing  and  blamed  Hallgerda. 
She  said,  better  men  lay  unatoned  in  many  places.  Gunnar 
said,  she  might  have  her  way  in  beginning  a  quarrel,  "but 
how  the  matter  is  to  be  settled  rests  with  me". 

Hallgerda  was  for  ever  chattering  of  S wart's  slaying,  but 
Bergthora  liked  that  ill.  Once  Njal  and  her  sons  went  up  to 
Thorolfsfell  to  see  about  the  house-keeping  there,  but  that 
selfsame  day  this  thing  happened  when  Bergthora  was  out  of 
doors  :  she  sees  a  man  ride  up  to  the  house  on  a  black  horse. 
She  stayed  there  and  did  not  go  in,  for  she  did  not  know  the 
man.  That  man  had  a  spear  in  his  hand,  and  was  girded 
with  a  short  sword.    She  asked  this  man  his  name. 

"  Atli  is  my  name,"  says  he. 

She  asked  whence  he  came. 

"  I  am  an  Eastfirther,"  he  says. 

"Whither  shalt  thou  go  ?"  she  says. 

"I  am  a  homeless  man,"  says  he,  "and  I  thought  to  see 
Njal  and  Skarphedinn,  and  know  if  they  would  take  me  in." 


THE  SLAYING  OF  KOL.  63 


"What  work  is  handiest  to  thee  ?  "  says  she. 

"I  am  a  man  used  to  field-work/'  he  says,  "and  many 
things  else  come  very  handy  to  me  ;  but  I  will  not  hide  from 
thee  that  I  am  a  man  of  hard  temper,  and  it  has  been  many  a 
man's  lot  before  now  to  bind  up  wounds  at  my  hand." 

"  I  do  not  blame  thee/'  she  says,  "  though  thou  art  no 
milksop." 

Atli  said — "  Hast  thou  any  voice  in  things  here  ?  " 

"I  am  Njal's  wife/'  she  says,  "and  I  have  as  much  to  say 
to  our  house  folk  as  he." 

"Wilt  thou  take  me  in  then  ?"  says  he. 

"  I  will  give  thee  thy  choice  of  that,"  says  she.  "  If  thou 
wilt  do  all  the  work  that  I  set  before  thee,  and  that  though 
I  wish  to  send  thee  where  a  man's  life  is  at  stake." 

"Thou  must  have  so  many  men  at  thy  beck,"  says  he, 
"that  thou  wilt  not  need  me  for  such  work." 

"  That  I  will  settle  as  I  please,"  she  says. 

"  We  will  strike  a  bargain  on  these  terms,"  says  he. 

Then  she  took  him  into  the  household.  Njal  and  his  sons 
came  home  and  asked  Bergthora  what  man  that  might  be  ? 

"He  is  thy  house-carle,"  she  says,  "and  I  took  him  in." 
Then  she  went  on  to  say  he  was  no  sluggard  at  work. 

"He  will  be  a  great  worker  enough,  I  daresay,"  says 
Njal,  "but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  will  be  such  a  good 
worker." 

Skarphedinn  was  good  to  Atli. 

Njal  and  his  sons  ride  to  the  Thing  in  the  course  of  the 
summer ;  Gunnar  was  also  at  the  Thing. 
Njal  took  out  a  purse  of  money. 
"What  money  is  that,  father  ?" 

"  Here  is  the  money  that  Gunnar  paid  me  for  our  house- 
carle  last  summer." 

"That  will  come  to  stand  thee  in  some  stead,"  says 
Skarphedinn,  and  smiled  as  he  spoke. 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  KOL,  WHOM  ATLI  SLEW. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Atli  asked 
Bergthora  what  work  he  should  do  that  day. 

"  I  have  thought  of  some  work  for  thee,"  she  says ; 


64     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  thou  shalt  go  and  look  for  Kol  until  thou  find  him ;  for 
now  shalt  thou  slay  him  this  very  day,  if  thou  wilt  do  my 
will." 

"  This  work  is  well  fitted/'  says  Atli,  "  for  each  of  us  two 
are  bad  fellows  ;  but  still  I  will  so  lay  myself  out  for  him  that 
one  or  other  of  us  shall  die." 

"  Well  may  est  thou  fare/'  she  says,  "  and  thou  shalt  not 
do  this  deed  for  nothing.' ' 

He  took  his  weapons  and  his  horse,  and  rode  up  to  Fleet- 
lithe,  and  there  met  men  who  were  coming  down  from 
Lithend.  They  were  at  home  east  in  the  Mark.  They 
asked  Atli  whither  he  meant  to  go  ?  He  said  he  was  riding 
to  look  for  an  old  jade.  They  said  that  was  a  small  errand 
for  such  a  workman,  "but  still  'twould  be  better  to  ask  those 
who  have  been  about  last  night". 

"  Who  are  they  ?  "  says  he. 

"  Killing- Kol,"  say  they,  u  Hallgerda's  house-carle,  fared 
from  the  fold  just  now,  and  has  been  awake  all  night." 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  I  dare  to  meet  him,"  says  Atli, 
"he  is  bad-tempered,  and  may  be  that  I  shall  let  another's 
wound  be  my  warning." 

"Thou  bearest  that  look  beneath  the  brows  as  though 
thou  wert  no  coward,"  they  said,  and  showed  him  where  Kol 
was. 

Then  he  spurred  his  horse  and  rides  fast,  and  when  he 
meets  Kol,  Atli  said  to  him — 

"  Go  the  pack-saddle  bands  well  ?  " 

"  That's  no  business  of  thine,  worthless  fellow,  nor  of  any 
one  else  whence  thou  comest." 

Atli  said — "Thou  hast  something  behind  that  is  earnest 
work,  but  that  is  to  die  ". 

After  that  Atli  thrust  at  him  with  his  spear,  and  struck 
him  about  his  middle.  Kol  swept  at  him  with  his  axe,  but 
missed  him,  and  fell  off  his  horse,  and  died  at  once. 

Atli  rode  till  he  met  some  of  Hallgerda's  workmen,  and 
said,  "  Go  ye  up  to  the  horse  yonder,  and  look  to  Kol,  for  he 
has  fallen  off,  and  is  dead  ". 

"  Hast  thou  slain  him  ?  "  say  they. 

"Well,  'twill  seem  to  Hallgerda  as  though  he  has  not 
fallen  by  his  own  hand." 

After  that  Atli  rode  home  and  told  Bergthora ;  she 
thanked  him  for  this  deed,  and  for  the  words  which  he  had 
spoken  about  it. 


THE  SLAYING  OF  KOL.  65 


"I  do  not  know,"  says  he,  "what  Njal  will  think  of 
this." 

"  He  will  take  it  well  upon  his  hands,"  she  says,  "  and 
I  will  tell  thee  one  thing  as  a  token  of  it,  that  he  has  carried 
away  with  him  to  the  Thing  the  price  of  that  thrall  which 
we  took  last  spring,  and  that  money  will  now  serve  for  Kol ; 
but  though  peace  be  made  thou  must  still  beware  of  thyself, 
for  Hallgerda  will  keep  no  peace." 

"  Wilt  thou  send  at  all  a  man  to  Njal  to  tell  him  of  the 
slaying  ?  " 

"  I  will  not,"  she  says,  "  I  should  like  it  better  that  Kol 
were  unatoned." 

Then  they  stopped  talking  about  it. 

Hallgerda  was  told  of  Kol's  slaying,  and  of  the  words 
that  Atli  had  said.  She  said  Atli  should  be  paid  off  for  them. 
She  sent  a  man  to  the  Thing  to  tell  Gunnar  of  Kol's  slay- 
ing ;  he  answered  little  or  nothing,  and  sent  a  man  to  tell 
Njal.    He  too  made  no  answer,  but  Skarphedinn  said — 

"Thralls  are  men  of  more  mettle  than  of  yore  ;  they  used 
to  fly  at  each  other  and  fight,  and  no  one  thought  much  harm 
of  that ;  but  now  they  will  do  naught  but  kill,"  and  as  he 
said  this  he  smiled. 

Njal  pulled  down  the  purse  of  money  which  hung  up  in 
the  booth,  and  went  out ;  his  sons  went  with  him  to  Gunnar' s 
booth. 

Skarphedinn  said  to  a  man  who  was  in  the  doorway  of 
the  booth — 

"  Say  thou  to  Gunnar  that  my  father  wants  to  see  him." 

He  did  so,  and  Gunnar  went  out  at  once  and  gave  Njal 
a  hearty  welcome.    After  that  they  began  to  talk. 

"  'Tis  ill  done,"  says  Njal,  "that  my  housewife  should 
have  broken  the  peace,  and  let  thy  house-carle  be  slain." 

"  She  shall  not  have  blame  for  that,"  says  Gunnar. 

"  Settle  the  award  thyself,"  says  Njal. 

"So  I  will  !do,"  say  Gunnar,  "and  I  value  those  two  men 
at  an  even  price,  Swart  and  Kol.  Thou  shalt  pay  me  twelve 
ounces  in  silver." 

Njal  took  the  purse  of  money  and  handed  it  to  Gunnar. 
Gunnar  knew  the  money,  and  saw  it  was  the  same  that 
he  had  paid  Njal.  Njal  went  away  to  his  booth,  and  they 
were  just  as  good  friends  as  before.  When  Njal  came  home, 
he  blamed  Bergthora ;  but  she  said  she  would  never  give 
way  to  Hallgerda.    Hallgerda  was  very  cross  with  Gunnar, 

5 


66     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


because  he  had  made  peace  for  Kol's  slaying.  Gunnar  told 
her  he  would  never  break  with  Njal  or  his  sons,  and  she  flew 
into  a  great  rage ;  but  Gunnar  took  no  heed  of  that,  and  so 
they  sat  for  that  year,  and  nothing  noteworthy  happened. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


THE  KILLING  OF  ATLI  THE  THRALL. 

Next  spring  Njal  said  to  Atli — "  I  wish  that  thou  wouldst 
change  thy  abode  to  the  east  firths,  so  that  Hallgerda  may 
not  put  an  end  to  thy  life  ". 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  that,"  says  Atli,  "and  I  will  willingly 
stay  at  home  if  I  have  the  choice/' 

"  Still  that  is  less  wise,"  says  Njal. 

"  I  think  it  better  to  lose  my  life  in  thy  house  than  to 
change  my  master ;  but  this  I  will  beg  of  thee,  if  I  am  slain, 
that  a  thrall's  price  shall  not  be  paid  for  me." 

"  Thou  shalt  be  atoned  for  as  a  free  man ;  but  perhaps 
Bergthora  will  make  thee  a  promise  which  she  will  fulfil, 
that  revenge,  man  for  man,  shall  be  taken  for  thee." 

Then  he  made  up  his  mind  to  be  a  hired  servant  there. 

Now  it  must  be  told  of  Hallgerda  that  she  sent  a  man 
west  to  Bearfirth,  to  fetch  Brynjolf  the  Unruly,  her  kinsman. 
He  was  a  base  son  of  Swan,  and  he  was  one  of  the  worst  of 
men.  Gunnar  knew  nothing  about  it.  Hallgerda  said  he 
was  well  fitted  to  be  a  grieve.  So  Brynjolf  came  from  the 
west,  and  Gunnar  asked  what  he  was  to  do  there  ?  He  said 
he  was  going  to  stay  there. 

"Thou  wilt  not  better  our  household,"  says  Gunnar, 
"after  what  has  been  told  me  of  thee,  but  I  will  not  turn 
away  any  of  Hallgerda' s  kinsmen,  whom  she  wishes  to  be 
with  her." 

Gunnar  said  little,  but  was  not  unkind  to  him,  and  so 
things  went  on  till  the  Thing.  Gunnar  rides  to  the  Thing 
and  Kolskegg  rides  too,  and  when  they  came  to  the  Thing 
they  and  Njal  met,  for  he  and  his  sons  were  at  the  Thing, 
and  all  went  well  with  Gunnar  and  them. 

Bergthora  said  to  Atli — "Go  thou  up  into  Thorolfsfell 
and  work  there  a  week". 


KILLING  OF  ALTI  THE  THRALL.  67 


So  he  went  up  thither,  and  was  there  on  the  sly,  and 
burnt  charcoal  in  the  wood. 

Hallgerda  said  to  Brynjolf — "  I  have  been  told  Atli  is  not 
at  home,  and  he  must  be  winning  work  on  Thorolfsfell 

u  What  thinkest  thou  likeliest  that  he  is  working  at  ? " 
says  he. 

"  At  something  in  the  wood,"  she  says. 
"What  shall  I  do  to  him  ?"  he  asks. 
u  Thou  shalt  kill  him/'  says  she. 

He  was  rather  slow  in  answering  her,  and  Hallgerda 
said — 

"'Twould  grow  less  in  Thiostolf s  eyes  to  kill  Atli  if  he 
were  alive." 

"Thou  shalt  have  no  need  to  goad  me  on  much  more," 
he  says,  and  then  he  seized  his  weapons,  and  takes  his  horse 
and  mounts,  and  rides  to  Thorolfsfell.  There  he  saw  a  great 
reek  of  coal  smoke  east  of  the  homestead,  so  he  rides  thither, 
and  gets  off  his  horse  and  ties  him  up,  but  he  goes  where  the 
smoke  was  thickest.  Then  he  sees  where  the  charcoal  pit  is, 
and  a  man  stands  by  it.  He  saw  that  he  had  thrust  his  spear 
in  the  ground  by  him.  Brynjolf  goes  along  with  the  smoke 
right  up  to  him,  but  he  was  eager  at  his  work,  and  saw  him 
not.  Brynjolf  gave  him  a  stroke  on  the  head  with  his  axe, 
and  he  turned  so  quick  round  that  Brynjolf  loosed  his  hold  of 
the  axe,  and  Atli  grasped  the  spear,  and  hurled  it  after  him. 
Then  Brynjolf  cast  himself  down  on  the  ground,  but  the  spear 
flew  away  over  him. 

"  Lucky  for  thee  that  I  was  not  ready  for  thee,"  says  Atli, 
"but  now  Hallgerda  will  be  well  pleased,  for  thou  wilt  tell 
her  of  my  death ;  but  it  is  a  comfort  to  know  that  thou  wilt 
have  the  same  fate  soon ;  but  come  now,  take  thy  axe  which 
has  been  here." 

He  answered  him  never  a  word,  nor  did  he  take  the  axe 
before  he  was  dead.  Then  he  rode  up  to  the  house  on 
Thorolfsfell,  and  told  of  the  slaying,  and  after  that  rode  home 
and  told  Hallgerda.  She  sent  men  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and 
let  them  tell  Bergthora,  that  now  Kol's  slaying  was  paid  for. 

After  that  Hallgerda  sent  a  man  to  the  Thing  to  tell 
Gunnar  of  Atli's  killing. 

Gunnar  stood  up,  and  Kolskegg  with  him,  and  Kolskegg 
said — 

"Unthrifty  will  Hallgerda' s  kinsmen  be  to  thee/' 
Then  they  go  to  see  Njal,  and  Gunnar  said — 


68     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  I  have  to  tell  thee  of  Atli's  killing."  He  told  him  also 
who  slew  him,  and  went  on,  "  and  now  I  will  bid  thee  atone- 
ment for  the  deed,  and  thou  shalt  make  the  award  thyself". 

Njal  said — "  We  two  have  always  meant  never  to  come  to 
strife  about  anything ;  but  still  I  cannot  make  him  out  a 
thrall ". 

Gunnar  said  that  was  all  right,  and  stretched  out  his  hand. 
Njal  named  his  witnesses,  and  they  made  peace  on  those 
terms. 

Skarphedinn  said,  "  Hallgerda  does  not  let  our  house- 
carles  die  of  old  age ". 

Gunnar  said — "  Thy  mother  will  take  care  that  blow  goes 
for  blow  between  the  houses 

"Ay,  ay,"  says  Njal,  "there  will  be  enough  of  that  work." 

After  that  Njal  fixed  the  price  at  a  hundred  in  silver,  but 
Gunnar  paid  it  down  at  once.  Many  who  stood  by  said  that 
the  award  was  high  ;  Gunnar  got  wroth,  and  said  that  a  full 
atonement  was  often  paid  for  those  who  were  no  brisker  men 
than  Atli. 

With  that  they  rode  home  from  the  Thing. 

Bergthora  said  to  Njal  when  she  saw  the  money — "  Thou 
thinkest  thou  hast  fulfilled  thy  promise,  but  now  my  promise 
is  still  behind". 

"There  is  no  need  that  thou  shouldst  fulfil  it,"  says  Njal. 

"Nay,"  says  she,  "thou  hast  guessed  it  would  be  so;  and 
so  it  shall  be." 

Hallgerda  said  to  Gunnar — 

"Hast  thou  paid  a  hundred  in  silver  for  Atli's  slaying,  and 
made  him  a  free  man  ?" 

"He  was  free  before,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  besides,  I  will 
not  make  Njal's  household  outlaws  who  have  forfeited  their 
rights." 

"  There's  not  a  pin  to  choose  between  you,"  she  said,  "  for 
both  of  you  are  so  blate." 

"  That's  as  things  prove,"  says  he. 

Then  Gunnar  was  for  a  long  time  very  short  with  her,  till 
she  gave  way  to  him ;  and  now  all  was  still  for  the  rest  of 
that  year ;  in  the  spring  Njal  did  not  increase  his  household, 
and  now  men  ride  to  the  Thing  about  summer, 


THE  SLAYING  OF  BRYNJOLF.  69 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  BRYNJOLF  THE  UNRULY. 

There  was  a  man  named  Thord,  he  was  surname d  Freedman- 
son.  Sigtrygg  was  his  father's  name,  and  he  had  been  the 
freedman  of  Asgerd,  and  he  was  drowned  in  Markfleet.  That 
was  why  Thord  was  with  Njal  afterwards.  He  was  a  tall  man 
and  a  strong,  and  he  had  fostered  all  Njal's  sons.  He  had 
set  his  heart  on  Gudfinna  Thorolf's  daughter,  Njal's  kins- 
woman ;  she  was  housekeeper  at  home  there,  and  was  then 
with  child. 

Now  Bergthora  came  to  talk  with  Thord  Freedmanson ; 
she  said — 

"Thou  shalt  go  to  kill  Brynjolf,  Hallgerda's  kinsman." 
"I  am  no  man-slayer,"  he  says,  "but  still  I  will  do  what 
ever  thou  wilt." 

"This  is  my  will,"  she  says. 

After  that  he  went  up  to  Lithend,  and  made  them  call 
Hallgerda  out,  and  asked  where  Brynjolf  might  be. 

"What's  thy  will  with  him  ?"  she  says. 

"  I  want  him  to  tell  me  where  he  has  hidden  Atli's  body ; 
I  have  heard  say  that  he  has  buried  it  badly." 

She  pointed  to  him,  and  said  he  was  down  yonder  in  Acre- 
tongue. 

"  Take  heed,"  says  Thord,  "  that  the  same  thing  does  not 
befall  him  as  befell  Atli." 

"Thou  art  no  man-slayer,"  she  says,  "and  so  nought  will 
come  of  it  even  if  ye  two  do  meet." 

"Never  have  I  seen  man's  blood,  nor  do  I  know  how 
I  should  feel  if  I  did,"  he  says,  and  gallops  out  of  the  "town  " 
and  down  to  Acretongue. 

Rannveig,  Gunnar's  mother,  had  heard  their  talk. 

"Thou  goadest  his  mind  much,  Hallgerda,"  she  says,  "but 
I  think  him  a  dauntless  man,  and  that  thy  kinsman  will 
find." 

They  met  on  the  beaten  way,  Thord  and  Brynjolf ;  and 
Thord  said — "Guard  thee,  Brynjolf,  for  I  will  do  no  dastard's 
deed  by  thee  ". 

Brynjolf  rode  at  Thord,  and  smote  at  him  with  his  axe. 
He  smote  at  him  at  the  same  time  with  his  axe,  and  hewed 


70     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


in  sunder  the  haft  just  above  Brynjolf  s  hands,  and  then  hewed 
at  him  at  once  a  second  time,  and  struck  him  on  the  collar- 
bone, and  the  blow  went  straight  into  his  trunk.  Then  he 
fell  from  horseback,  and  was  dead  on  the  spot. 

Thord  met  Hallgerda's  herdsman,  and  gave  out  the  slaying 
as  done  by  his  hand,  and  said  where  he  lay,  and  bade  him 
tell  Hallgerda  of  the  slaying.  After  that  he  rode  home  to 
Bergthorsknoll,  and  told  Bergthora  of  the  slaying,  and  other 
people  too. 

"  Good  luck  go  with  thy  hands,"  she  said. 

The  herdsman  told  Hallgerda  of  the  slaying ;  she  was 
snappish  at  it,  and  said  much  ill  would  come  of  it,  if  she  might 
have  her  way. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

GUNNAR  AND  NJAL  MAKE  PEACE  ABOUT  BRYNJOLF'S 
SLAYING. 

Now  these  tidings  come  to  the  Thing,  and  Njal  made  them  tell 
him  the  tale  thrice,  and  then  he  said — 

"More  men  now  become  man-slayers  than  I  weened." 

Skarphedinn  spoke — "  That  man,  though,  must  have  been 
twice  fey,"  he  says,  "who  lost  his  life  by  our  foster-father's 
hand,  who  has  never  seen  man's  blood.  And  many  would 
think  that  we  brothers  would  sooner  have  done  this  deed  with 
the  turn  of  temper  that  we  have." 

"Scant  space  wilt  thou  have,"  says  Njal,  "ere  the  like 
befalls  thee  ;  but  need  will  drive  thee  to  it." 

Then  they  went  to  meet  Gunnar,  and  told  him  of  the 
slaying.  Gunnar  spoke  and  said  that  was  little  man-scathe, 
"but  yet  he  was  a  free  man". 

Njal  offered  to  make  peace  at  once,  and  Gunnar  said  yes, 
and  he  was  to  settle  the  terms  himself.  He  made  his  award 
there  and  then,  and  laid  it  at  one  hundred  in  silver.  Njal 
paid  down  the  money  on  the  spot,  and  they  were  at  peace 
after  that. 


SIGMUND  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND.  71 


CHAPTER  XLL 

SIGMUND  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

There  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Sigmund.  He  was  the 
son  of  Lambi,  the  son  of  Sigh  vat  the  Red.  He  was  a  great 
voyager,  and  a  comely  and  a  courteous  man  ;  tall  too,  and 
strong.  He  was  a  man  of  proud  spirit,  and  a  good  skald,  and 
well  trained  in  most  feats  of  strength.  He  was  noisy  and 
boisterous,  and  given  to  jibes  and  mocking.  He  made  the 
land  east  in  Homfirth.  Skiolld  was  the  name  of  his  fellow- 
traveller  ;  he  was  a  Swedish  man,  and  ill  to  do  with.  They 
took  horse  and  rode  from  the  east  out  of  Hornfirth,  and  did 
not  draw  bridle  before  they  came  to  Lithend,  in  the  Fleet- 
lithe.  Gunnar  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome,  for  the  bonds  of 
kinship  were  close  between  them.  Gunnar  begged  Sigmund 
to  stay  there  that  winter,  and  Sigmund  said  he  would  take 
the  offer  if  Skiolld  his  fellow  might  be  there  too. 

"Well,  I  have  been  so  told  about  him,"  said  Gunnar,  "that 
he  is  no  better  of  thy  temper ;  but  as  it  is,  thou  rather 
needest  to  have  it  bettered.  This,  too,  is  a  bad  house  to  stay 
at,  and  I  would  just  give  both  of  you  a  bit  of  advice,  my  kins- 
men, not  to  fire  up  at  the  egging  on  of  my  wife  Hallgerda ; 
for  she  takes  much  in  hand  that  is  far  from  my  will." 

"  His  hands  are  clean  who  warns  another,"  says  Sigmund. 

"Then  mind  the  advice  given  thee,"  says  Gunnar,  "for 
thou  art  sure  to  be  sore  tried  ;  and  go  along  always  with  me, 
and  lean  upon  my  counsel." 

After  that  they  were  in  Gunnar' s  company.  Hallgerda 
was  good  to  Sigmund ;  and  it  soon  came  about  that  things 
grew  so  warm  that  she  loaded  him  with  money,  and  tended 
him  no  worse  than  her  own  husband  ;  and  many  talked  about 
that,  and  did  not  know  what  lay  under  it. 

One  day  Hallgerda  said  to  Gunnar — "  It  is  not  good  to  be 
content  with  that  hundred  in  silver  which  thou  tookest  for  my 
kinsman  Brynjolf.    I  shall  avenge  him  if  I  may/'  she  says. 

Gunnar  said  he  had  no  mind  to  bandy  words  with  her,  and 
went  away.  He  met  Kolskegg,  and  said  to  him,  "  Go  and  see 
Njal  ;  and  tell  him  that  Thord  must  beware  of  himself  though 
peace  has  been  made,  for,  methinks,  there  is  faithlessness  some- 
where ". 


72     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


He  rode  off  and  told  Njal,  but  Njal  told  Thord,  and  Kol- 
skegg  rode  home,  and  Njal  thanked  them  for  their  faithfulness. 

Once  on  a  time  they  two  were  out  in  the  "town,"  Njal 
and  Thord ;  a  he -goat  was  wont  to  go  up  and  down  in  the 
"  town/'  and  no  one  was  allowed  to  drive  him  away.  Then 
Thord  spoke  and  said — 

"  Well,  this  is  a  wondrous  thing  !  " 

"  What  is  it  that  thou  see'st  that  seems  after  a  wondrous 
fashion  ?  "  says  Njal. 

"  Methinks  the  goat  lies  here  in  the  hollow,  and  he  is  all 
one  gore  of  blood/' 

Njal  said  that  there  was  no  goat  there,  nor  anything  else. 

"  What  is  it  then  ? "  says  Thord. 

"Thou  must  be  a  'fey'  man,"  says  Njal,  "and  thou  must 
have  seen  the  fetch  that  follows  thee,  and  now  be  ware  of 
thyself." 

"  That  will  stand  me  in  no  stead,"  says  Thord,  "  if  death 
is  doomed  for  me." 

Then  Hallgerda  came  to  talk  with  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and 
said — "I  would  think  thee  my  son-in-law  indeed,"  she  says, 
"if  thou  slayest  Thord  Freedmanson ". 

"  I  will  not  do  that,"  he  says,  "  for  then  I  shall  have  the 
wrath  of  my  kinsman  Gunnar ;  and  besides,  great  things  hang 
on  this  deed,  for  this  slaying  would  soon  be  avenged." 

"Who  will  avenge  it?"  she  asks;  "is  it  the  beardless 
carle  ?  " 

"Not  so,"  says  he  ;  "his  sons  will  avenge  it." 

After  that  they  talked  long  and  low,  and  no  man  knew 
what  counsel  they  took  together. 

Once  it  happened  that  Gunnar  was  not  at  home,  but  those 
companions  were.  Thrain  had  come  in  from  Gritwater,  and 
then  he  and  they  and  Hallgerda  sat  out  of  doors  and  talked. 
Then  Hallgerda  said — 

"  This  have  ye  two  brothers  in  arms,  Sigmund  and  Skiolld, 
promised  to  slay  Thord  Freedmanson ;  but  Thrain  thou  hast 
promised  me  that  thou  wouldst  stand  by  them  when  they  did 
the  deed." 

They  all  acknowledged  that  they  had  given  her  this 
promise. 

"Now  I  will  counsel  you  how  to  do  it,"  she  says:  "Ye 
shall  ride  east  into  Hornfirth  after  your  goods,  and  come 
home  about  the  beginning  of  the  Thing,  but  if  ye  are  at 
home  before  it  begins,  Gunnar  will  wish  that  ye  should  ride 


SLAYING  OF  THORD  FftEEDMANSON.  73 


to  the  Thing  with  him.  Njal  will  be  at  the  Thing  and  his 
sons  and  Gunnar,  but  then  ye  two  shall  slay  Thord." 

They  all  agreed  that  this  plan  should  be  carried  out. 
After  that  they  busked  them  east  to  the  Firth,  and  Gumiar 
was  not  aware  of  what  they  were  about,  and  Gunnar  rode  to 
the  Thing.  Njal  sent  Thord  Freedmanson  away  east  under 
Eyjafell,  and  bade  him  be  away  there  one  night.  So  he  went 
east,  but  he  could  not  get  back  from  the  east,  for  the  Fleet 
had  risen  so  high  that  it  could  not  be  crossed  on  horseback 
ever  so  far  up.  Njal  waited  for  him  one  night,  for  he  had 
meant  him  to  have  ridden  with  him ;  and  Njal  said  to 
Bergthora,  that  she  must  send  Thord  to  the  Thing  as  soon 
as  ever  he  came  home.  Two  nights  after,  Thord  came  from 
the  east,  and  Bergthora  told  him  that  he  must  ride  to  the 
Thing,  "  but  first  thou  shalt  ride  up  into  Thorolfsfell  and  see 
about  the  farm  there,  and  do  not  be  there  longer  than  one  or 
two  nights/ ' 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  THORD  FREEDMANSON. 

Then  Sigmund  came  from  the  east  and  those  companions. 
Hallgerda  told  them  that  Thord  was  at  home,  but  that  he 
was  to  ride  straightway  to  the  Thing  after  a  few  nights'  space. 
"Now  ye  will  have  a  fair  chance  at  him/'  he  says,  "but  if  this 
goes  off,  ye  will  never  get  nigh  him  ".  Men  came  to  Lithend 
from  Thorolfsfell,  and  told  Hallgerda  that  Thord  was  there. 
Hallgerda  went  to  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and  his  companions, 
and  said  to  him,  "Now  is  Thord  on  Thorolfsfell,  and  now 
your  best  plan  is  to  fall  on  him  and  kill  him  as  he  goes 
home  ". 

"That  we  will  do,"  says  Sigmund.  So  they  went  out, 
and  took  their  weapons  and  horses  and  rode  on  the  way  to 
meet  him.  Sigmund  said  to  Thrain,  "Now  thou  shalt  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it ;  for  we  shall  not  need  all  of  us  ". 

"  Very  well,  so  I  will,"  says  he. 

Then  Thord  rode  up  to  them  a  little  while  after,  and 
Sigmund  said  to  him — 

"  Give  thyself  up,"  he  says,  "  for  now  shalt  thou  die." 


74     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"That  shall  not  be,"  says  Thord,  "come  thou  to  single 
combat  with  me." 

"That  shall  not  be  either,"  says  Sigmund,  "we  will 
make  the  most  of  our  numbers ;  but  it  is  not  strange  that 
Skarphedinn  is  strong,  for  it  is  said  that  a  fourth  of  a  foster- 
child's  strength  comes  from  the  foster-father." 

"Thou  wilt  feel  the  force  of  that,"  says  Thord,  "for 
Skarphedinn  will  avenge  me." 

After  that  they  fall  on  him,  and  he  breaks  a  spear  of  each 
of  them,  so  well  did  he  guard  himself.  Then  Skiolld  cut  off 
his  hand,  and  he  still  kept  them  off  with  his  other  hand  for 
some  time,  till  Sigmund  thrust  him  through.  Then  he  fell 
dead  to  earth.  They  threw  over  him  turf  and  stones ;  and 
Thrain  said — "  We  have  won  an  ill  work,  and  Njal's  sons  will 
take  this  slaying  ill  when  they  hear  of  it ". 

They  ride  home  and  tell  Hallgerda.  She  was  glad  to  hear 
of  the  slaying,  but  Rannveig,  Gunnar' s  mother,  said — 

"  It  is  said  '  but  a  short  while  is  hand  fain  of  blow/  and 
so  it  will  be  here  ;  but  still  Gunnar  will  set  thee  free  from 
this  matter.  But  if  Hallgerda  makes  thee  take  another  fly  in 
thy  mouth,  then  that  will  be  thy  bane." 

Hallgerda  sent  a  man  to  Bergthorsknoll,  to  tell  the  slaying, 
and  another  man  to  the  Thing,  to  tell  it  to  Gunnar.  Bergthora 
said  she  would  not  fight  against  Hallgerda  with  ill  words  about 
such  a  matter;  "that,"  quoth  she,  "would  be  no  revenge  for 
so  great  a  quarrel  ". 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

NJAL  AND  GUNNAR  MAKE  PEACE  FOR  THE  SLAYING 
OF  THORD. 

But  when  the  messenger  came  to  the  Thing  to  tell  Gunnar 
of  the  slaying,  then  Gunnar  said — 

"  This  has  happened  ill,  and  no  tidings  could  come  to  my 
ears  which  I  should  think  worse  ;  but  yet  we  will  now  go  at 
once  and  see  Njal.  I  still  hope  he  may  take  it  well,  though 
he  be  sorely  tried." 

So  they  went  to  see  Njal,  and  called  him  to  come  out  and 
talk  to  them.    He  went  out  at  once  to  meet  Gunnar,  and 


NJAL  AND  GUNNAR  MAKE  PEACE.  75 


they  talked,  nor  were  there  any  more  men  by  at  first  than 
Kolskegg. 

"Hard  tidings  have  I  to  tell  thee/'  says  Gunnar  ;  "the 
slaying  of  Thord  Freedmanson,  and  I  wish  to  offer  thee  self- 
doom  for  the  slaying/' 

Njal  held  his  peace  some  while,  and  then  said — 

"  That  is  well  offered,  and  I  will  take  it ;  but  yet  it  is  to 
be  looked  for,  that  I  shall  have  blame  from  my  wife  or  from  my 
sons  for  that,  for  it  will  mislike  them  much ;  but  still  I  will 
run  the  risk,  for  I  know  that  I  have  to  deal  with  a  good  man 
and  true  ;  nor  do  I  wish  that  any  breach  should  arise  in  our 
friendship  on  my  part." 

"Wilt  thou  let  thy  sons  be  by,  pray  ?  "  says  Gunnar. 

"  I  will  not,"  says  Njal,  "  for  they  will  not  break  the  peace 
which  I  make,  but  if  they  stand  by  while  we  make  it,  they 
will  not  pull  well  together  with  us." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  says  Gunnar.    "See  thou  to  it  alone." 

Then  they  shook  one  another  by  the  hand,  and  made  peace 
well  and  quickly. 

Then  Njal  said — "The  award  that  I  make  is  two  hundred 
in  silver,  and  that  thou  wilt  think  much". 

"  I  do  not  think  it  too  much,"  says  Gunnar,  and  went 
home  to  his  booth. 

Njal's  sons  came  home,  and  Skarphedinn  asked  whence 
that  great  sum  of  money  came,  which  his  father  held  in  his 
hand. 

Njal  said — "  I  tell  you  of  your  foster-father's  Thord's  slay- 
ing, and  we  two,  Gunnar  and  I,  have  now  made  peace  in  the 
matter,  and  he  has  paid  an  atonement  for  him  as  for  two  men'". 

"Who  slew  him?"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"  Sigmund  and  Skiolld,  but  Thrain  was  standing  near  too," 
says  Njal. 

"They  thought  they  had  need  of  much  strength,"  says 
Skarphedinn,  and  sang  a  song — 

Bold  in  deeds  of  derring-do, 
Burdeners  of  ocean's  steeds, 
Strength  enough  it  seems  they  needed 
All  to  slay  a  single  man  ; 
When  shall  we  our  hands  uplift  ? 
We  who  brandish  burnished  steel — 
Famous  men  erst  reddened  weapons, 
When  ?  if  now  we  quiet  sit  ? 

"  Yes  !  when  shall  the  day  come  when  we  shall  lift  our 
hands  ? " 


76     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"That  will  not  be  long  off/'  says  Njal,  "and  then  thou 
shalt  not  be  baulked ;  but  still,  methinks,  I  set  great  store  on 
your  not  breaking  this  peace  that  I  have  made/' 

"Then  we  will  not  break  it/'  says  Skarphedinn,  "but  if 
anything  arises  between  us,  then  we  will  bear  in  mind  the  old 
feud." 

"Then  I  will  ask  you  to  spare  no  one/'  says  Njal. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

SIGMUND  MOCKS  NJAL  AND  HIS  SONS. 

Now  men  ride  home  from  the  Thing ;  and  when  Gunnar  came 
home,  he  said  to  Sigmund — 

"  Thou  art  a  more  unlucky  man  than  I  thought,  and  turnest 
thy  good  gifts  to  thine  own  ill.  But  still  I  have  made  peace 
for  thee  with  Njal  and  his  sons ;  and  now,  take  care  that  thou 
dost  not  let  another  fly  come  into  thy  mouth.  Thou  art  not 
at  all  after  my  mind,  thou  goest  about  with  jibes  and  jeers, 
with  scorn  and  mocking ;  but  that  is  not  my  turn  of  mind. 
That  is  why  thou  gettest  on  so  well  with  Hallgerda,  because  ye 
two  have  your  minds  more  alike/ ' 

Gunnar  scolded  him  a  long  time,  and  he  answered  him 
well,  and  said  he  would  follow  his  counsel  more  for  the  time 
to  come  than  he  had  followed  it  hitherto.  Gunnar  told  him 
then  they  might  get  on  together.  Gunnar  and  Njal  kept  up 
their  friendship  though  the  rest  of  their  people  saw  little  of  one 
another.  It  happened  once  that  some  gangrel  women  came 
to  Lithend  from  Bergthorsknoll ;  they  were  great  gossips  and 
rather  spiteful  tongued.  Hallgerda  had  a  bower,  and  sate 
often  in  it,  and  there  sate  with  her  her  daughter  Thorgerda, 
and  there  too  were  Thrain  and  Sigmund,  and  a  crowd  of 
women.  Gunnar  was  not  there  nor  Kolskegg.  These  gangrel 
women  went  into  the  bower,  and  Hallgerda  greeted  them,  and 
made  room  for  them  ;  then  she  asked  them  for  news,  but  they 
said  they  had  none  to  tell.  Hallgerda  asked  where  they  had 
been  over  night ;  they  said  at  Bergthorsknoll. 

"What  was  Njal  doing?"  she  says. 

"  He  was  hard  at  work  sitting  still/ '  they  said. 

"What  were  Njal's  sons  doing  i"  she  says;  "they  think 
themselves  men  at  any  rate." 


SIGMUND  MOCKS  NJAL.  77 


"Tail  men  the/  are  in  growth/'  they  say,  "but  as  yet  they 
are  all  untried  ;  Skarphedinn  whetted  an  axe,  Grim  fitted  a 
spearhead  to  the  shaft,  Helgi  rivetted  a  hilt  on  a  sword, 
Hauskuld  strengthened  the  handle  of  a  shield." 

"  They  must  be  bent  on  some  great  deed,"  says  Hallgerda. 

"We  do  not  know  that,"  they  say. 

"  What  were  Njal's  house-carles  doing  ?  "  she  asks. 

"  We  don't  know  what  some  of  them  were  doing,  but  one 
was  carting  dung  up  the  hill -side." 

"What  good  was  there  in  doing  that  ?  "  she  asks. 

"  He  said  it  made  the  swathe  better  there  than  any  where 
else,"  they  reply.  "Witless  now  is  Njal,"  says  Hallgerda, 
"  though  he  knows  how  to  give  counsel  on  every  thing." 

"  How  so  ?  "  they  ask. 

"  I  will  only  bring  forward  what  is  true  to  prove  it,"  says 
she ;  "  why  doesn't  he  make  them  cart  dung  over  his  beard 
that  he  may  be  like  other  men  ?  Let  us  call  him  '  the  beard- 
less carle '  :  but  his  sons  we  will  call  (  dung-beardlings '  ;  and 
now  do  pray  give  some  stave  about  them,  Sigmund,  and  let 
us  get  some  good  by  thy  gift  of  song." 

"  I  am  quite  ready  to  do  that,"  says  he,  and  sang  these 
verses — 

Lady  proud  with  hawk  in  hand, 
Prithee  why  should  dungbeard  boys, 
Reft  of  reason,  dare  to  hammer 
Handle  fast  on  battle  shield  ? 
For  these  lads  of  loathly  feature — 
Lady  scattering  swanbath's  beams  * — 
Shall  not  shun  this  ditty  shameful 
Which  I  shape  upon  them  now. 

He  the  beardless  carle  shall  listen 
While  I  lash  him  with  abuse, 
Loon  at  whom  our  stomachs  sicken, 
Soon  shall  hear  these  words  of  scorn  ; 
Far  too  nice  for  such  base  fellows 
Is  the  name  my  bounty  gives, 
Een  my  muse  her  help  refuses, 
Making  mirth  of  dungbeard  boys. 

Here  I  find  a  nickname  fitting 
For  those  noisome  dungbeard  boys — 
Loath  am  I  to  break  my  bargain 
Linked  with  such  a  noble  man — 
Knit  we  all  our  taunts  together — 
Known  to  me  is  mind  of  man — 
Call  we  now  with  outburst  common, 
Him,  that  churl,  the  beardless  carle. 


*  Swanbath's  beams,  periphrasis  for  gold. 


78     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"Thou  art  a  jewel  indeed/ '  says  Hallgei  {b  ;  "how  yielding 
thou  art  to  what  I  ask  ! " 

Just  then  Gunnar  came  in.  He  had  been  standing  outside 
the  door  of  the  bower,  and  heard  all  the  words  that  had  passed. 
They  were  in  a  great  fright  when  they  saw  him  come  in,  and 
then  all  held  their  peace,  but  before  there  had  been  bursts  of 
laughter. 

Gunnar  was  very  wroth,  and  said  to  Sigmund,  "  thou  art  a 
foolish  man,  and  one  that  cannot  keep  to  good  advice,  and 
thou  re  vilest  Njal's  sons,  and  Njal  himself  who  is  most  worth 
of  all ;  and  this  thou  doest  in  spite  of  what  thou  hast  already 
done.  Mind,  this  will  be  thy  death.  But  if  any  man  repeats 
these  words  that  thou  hast  spoken,  or  these  verses  that  thou 
hast  made,  that  man  shall  be  sent  away  at  once,  and  have  my 
wrath  beside." 

But  they  were  all  so  sore  afraid  of  him,  that  no  one  dared 
to  repeat  those  words.  After  that  he  went  away,  but  the 
gangrel  women  talked  among  themselves,  and  said  that  they 
would  get  a  reward  from  Bergthora  if  they  told  her  all  this. 
They  went  then  away  afterwards  down  thither,  and  took 
Bergthora  aside  and  told  her  the  whole  story  of  their  own 
free  will. 

Bergthora  spoke  and  said,  when  men  sate  down  to  the 
board,  "  Gifts  have  been  given  to  all  of  you,  father  and  sons, 
and  ye  will  be  no  true  men  unless  ye  repay  them  somehow 

"What  gifts  are  these  ?"  asks  Skarphedinn. 

"You,  my  sons,"  says  Bergthora,  "have  got  one  gift 
between  you  all.  Ye  are  nicknamed  '  Dung-beardlings/  but 
my  husband  'the  beardless  carle  \" 

"Ours  is  no  woman's  nature,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "that  we 
should  fly  into  a  rage  at  every  little  thing." 

"And  yet  Gunnar  was  wroth  for  your  sakes,"  says  she, 
"and  he  is  thought  to  be  good-tempered.  But  if  ye  do  not 
take  vengeance  for  this  wrong,  ye  will  avenge  no  shame." 

"The  carline,  our  mother,  thinks  this  fine  sport,"  says 
Skarphedinn,  and  smiled  scornfully  as  he  spoke,  but  still  the 
sweat  burst  out  upon  his  brow,  and  red  flecks  came  over  his 
cheeks,  but  that  was  not  his  wont.  Grim  was  silent  and  bit 
his  lip.  Helgi  made  no  sign,  and  he  said  never  a  word. 
Hauskuld  went  off  with  Bergthora ;  she  came  into  the  room 
again,  and  fretted  and  foamed  much. 

Njal  spoke  and  said,  " '  slow  and  sure/  says  the  proverb, 
mistress !  and  so  it  is  with  many  things,  though  they  try 


THE  SLAYING  OF  SIGMUND,  ETC.  79 

men's  tempers,  that  there  are  always  two  sides  to  a  story,  even"  3 
when  vengeance  is  taken 

But  at  even  when  Njal  was  come  into  his  bed,  he  heard 
that  an  axe  came  against  the  panel  and  rang  loudly,  but  there 
was  another  shut  bed,  and  there  the  shields  were  hung  up, 
and  he  sees  that  they  are  away.  He  said,  "  who  have  taken 
down  our  shields  ?  " 

"  Thy  sons  went  out  with  them,"  says  Bergthora. 
Njal  pulled  his  shoes  on  his  feet,  and  went  out  at  once, 
and  round  to  the  other  side  of  the  house,  and  sees  that  they 
were  taking  their  course  right  up  the  slope  ;  he  said,  "  whither 
away,  Skarphedinn  ?  " 

"To  look  after  thy  sheep,"  he  answers. 
14  You  would  not  then  be  armed,"  said  Njal,  "  if  you  meant 
that,  and  your  errand  must  be  something  else." 
Then  Skarphedinn  sang  a  song- 
Squanderer  of  hoarded  wealth, 
Some  there  are  that  own  rich  treasure, 
Ore  of  sea  that  clasps  the  earth, 
And  yet  care  to  count  their  sheep  ; 
Those  who  forge  sharp  songs  of  mocking, 
Death  songs,  scarcely  can  possess 
Sense  of  sheep  that  crop  the  grass  ; 
Such  as  these  I  seek  in.  fight ; 

and  said  afterwards — 

"We  shall  fish  for  salmon,  father." 

"  'Twould  be  well  then  if  it  turned  out  so  that  the  prey 
does  not  get  away  from  you." 

They  went  their  way,  but  Njal  went  to  his  bed,  and 
he  said  to  Bergthora,  "Thy  sons  were  out  of  doors  all  of 
them,  with  arms,  and  now  thou  must  have  egged  them  on 
to  something  ". 

"I  will  give  them  my  heartfelt  thanks,"  said  Bergthora, 
"if  they  tell  me  the  slaying  of  Sigmund." 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  SIGMUND  AND  SKIOLLD. 

Now  they,  NjaFs  sons,  fare  up  to  Fleetlithe,  and  were  that 
night  under  the  Lithe,  and  when  the  day  began  to  break, 
they  came  near  to  Lithend.    That  same  morning  both  Sig- 


80     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


mund  and  Skiolld  rose  up  and  meant  to  go  to  the  stud-horses ; 
they  had  bits  with  them,  and  caught  the  horses  that  were  in 
the  "town"  and  rode  away  on  them.  They  found  the  stud- 
horses between  two  brooks.  Skarphedinn  caught  sight  of 
them,  for  Sigmund  was  in  bright  clothing.  Skarphedinn  said, 
"  See  you  now  the  red  elf  yonder,  lads  ?  "  They  looked  that 
way,  and  said  they  saw  him. 

Skarphedinn  spoke  again  :  "  Thou,  Hauskuld,  shalt  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it,  for  thou  wilt  often  be  sent  about"  alone 
without  due  heed  ;  but  I  mean  Sigmund  for  myself ;  methinks 
that  is  like  a  man ;  but  Grim  and  Helgi,  they  shall  try  to  slay 
Skiolld  ". 

Hauskuld  sat  him  down,  but  they  went  until  they  came  up 
to  them.    Skarphedinn  said  to  Sigmund — 

"  Take  thy  weapons  and  defend  thyself ;  that  is  more 
needful  now,  than  to  make  mocking  songs  on  me  and  my 
brothers." 

Sigmund  took  up  his  weapons,  but  Skarphedinn  waited 
the  while.  Skiolld  turned  against  Grim  and  Helgi,  and  they 
fell  hotly  to  fight.  Sigmund  had  a  helm  on  his  head,  and  a 
shield  at  his  side,  and  was  girt  with  a  sword,  his  spear  was  in 
his  hand  ;  now  he  turns  against  Skarphedinn,  and  thrusts  at 
once  at  him  with  his  spear,  and  the  thrust  came  on  his  shield. 
Skarphedinn  dashes  the  spearhaft  in  two,  and  lifts  up  his  axe 
and  hews  at  Sigmund,  and  cleaves  his  shield  down  to  below 
the  handle.  Sigmund  drew  his  sword  and  cut  at  Skarphedinn, 
and  the  sword  cuts  into  his  shield,  so  that  it  stuck  fast. 
Skarphedinn  gave  the  shield  such  a  quick  twist,  that  Sigmund 
let  go  his  sword.  Then  Skarphedinn  hews  at  Sigmund  with 
his  axe,  the  "Ogress  of  war".  Sigmund  had  on  a  corselet, 
the  axe  came  on  his  shoulder.  Skarphedinn  cleft  the  shoulder- 
blade  right  through,  and  at  the  same  time  pulled  the  axe 
towards  him.  S:gmund  fell  down  on  both  knees,  but  sprang 
up  again  at  once. 

"Thou  hast  lifted  low  to  me  already,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"  but  still  thou  shalt  fall  upon  thy  mother's  bosom  ere  we  two 
part." 

"  111  is  that  then,"  says  Sigmund. 

Skarphedinn  gave  him  a  blow  on  his  helm,  and  after  that 
dealt  Sigmund  his  death-blow. 

Grim  cut  off  Skiolld' s  foot  at  the  ankle-joint,  but  Helgi 
thrust  him  through  with  his  spear,  and  he  got  his  death  there 
and  then. 


THE  SLAYING  OF  SIGMUND,  ETC.  81 


Skarphedinn  saw  Hallgerda's  shepherd,  just  as  he  had 
hewn  off  Sigmund's  head ;  he  handed  the  head  to  the  shep- 
herd, and  bade  him  bear  it  to  Hallgerda,  and  said  she  would 
know  whether  that  head  had  made  jeering  songs  about  them, 
and  with  that  he  sang  a  song. 

Here  !  this  head  shalt  thou,  that  heapest 
Hoards  from  ocean-caverns  won,* 
Bear  to  Hallgerd  with  my  greeting, 
Her  that  hurries  men  to  fight ; 
Sure  am  I,  O  firewood  splitter  ! 
That  yon  spendthrift  knows  it  well, 
And  will  answer  if  it  ever 
Uttered  mocking  songs  on  us. 

The  shepherd  casts  the  head  down  as  soon  as  ever  they 
parted,  for  he  dared  not  do  so  while  their  eyes  were  on  him. 
They  fared  along  till  they  met  some  men  down  by  Markfleet, 
and  told  them  the  tidings.  Skarphedinn  gave  himself  out  as 
the  slayer  of  Sigmund ;  and  Grim  and  Helgi  as  the  slayers  of 
Skiolld;  then  they  fared  home  and  told  Njal  the  tidings. 
He  answers  them — 

w  Good  luck  to  your  hands  !  Here  no  self-doom  will  come 
to  pass  as  things  stand." 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  the  shep- 
herd came  home  to  Lithend.    He  told  Hallgerda  the  tidings. 

"  Skarphedinn  put  Sigmund's  head  into  my  hands/'  he 
says,  "  and  bade  me  bring  it  thee ;  but  I  dared  not  do  it,  for 
I  knew  not  how  thou  wouldst  like  that." 

"'Twas  ill  that  thou  didst  not  do  that,"  she  says;  "I 
would  have  brought  it  to  Gunnar,  and  then  he  would  have 
avenged  his  kinsman,  or  have  to  bear  every  man's  blame." 

After  that  she  went  to  Gunnar  and  said,  "  I  tell  thee  of 
thy  kinsman  Sigmund's  slaying  :  Skarphedinn  slew  him,  and 
wanted  them  to  bring  me  the  head  ". 

"Just  what  might  be  looked  for  to  befall  him,"  says 
Gunnar,  "for  ill  redes  bring  ill  luck,  and  both  you  and 
Skarphedinn  have  often  done  one  another  spiteful  turns ". 

Then  Gunnar  went  away  ;  he  let  no  steps  be  taken  towards 
a  suit  for  manslaughter,  and  did  nothing  about  it.  Hallgerda 
often  put  him  in  mind  of  it,  and  kept  saying  that  Sigmund 
had  fallen  unatoned.    Gunnar  gave  no  heed  to  that. 

Now  three  Things  passed  away,  at  each  of  which  men 

*  "Thou,  that  heapest  hoards,"  etc. — merely  a  periphrasis  for  man,  and 
scarcely  fitting,  except  in  irony,  to  a  splitter  of  firewood. 

6 


82     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


thought  that  he  would  follow  up  the  suit :  then  a  knotty 
point  came  on  Gunnar  s  hands,  which  he  knew  not  how  to  set 
about,  and  then  he  rode  to  find  Njal.  He  gave  Gunnar  a 
hearty  welcome.  Gunnar  said  to  Njal,  "  I  am  come  to  seek 
a  bit  of  good  counsel  at  thy  hands  about  a  knotty  point 

"Thou  art  worthy  of  it,"  says  Njal,  and  gave  him  counsel 
what  to  do.  Then  Gunnar  stood  up  and  thanked  him.  Njal 
then  spoke  and  said,  and  took  Gunnar  by  the  hand,  "  Over 
long  hath  thy  kinsman  Sigmund  been  unatoned  "  He  has 
been  long  ago  atoned,"  says  Gunnar,  "  but  still  I  will  not  fling 
back  the  honour  offered  me." 

Gunnar  had  never  spoken  an  ill  word  of  Njal's  sons.  Njal 
would  have  nothing  else  than  that  Gunnar  should  make  his 
own  award  in  the  matter.  He  awarded  two  hundred  in  silver, 
but  let  Skiolld  fall  without  a  price.  They  paid  down  all  the 
money  at  once. 

Gunnar  declared  this  their  atonement  at  the  Thingskala 
Thing,  when  most  men  were  at  it,  and  laid  great  weight  on 
the  way  in  which  they  (Njal  and  his  sons)  had  behaved  ;  he 
told  too  those  bad  words  which  cost  Sigmund  his  life,  and  no 
man  was  to  repeat  them  or  sing  the  verses,  but  if  any  sung 
them,  the  man  who  uttered  them  was  to  fall  without  atone- 
ment. 

Both  Gunnar  and  Njal  gave  each  other  their  words  that  no 
such  matters  should  ever  happen  that  they  would  not  settle 
among  themselves  ;  and  this  pledge  was  well  kept  ever  after, 
and  they  were  always  friends. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

OF  GIZUR  THE  WHITE  AND  GEIR  THE  PRIEST. 

There  was  a  man  named  Gizur  the  White  ;  he  was  Teit's  son  ; 
Kettlebjorn  the  Old's  son,  of  Mossfell.  Gizur  the  White  kept 
house  at  Mossfell,  and  was  a  great  chief.  That  man  is  also 
named  in  this  story,  whose  name  was  Geir  the  priest;  his 
mother  was  Thorkatla,  another  daughter  of  Kettlebjorn  the 
Old  of  Mossfell.  Geir  kept  house  at  Lithe.  He  and  Gizur 
backed  one  another  in  every  matter.  At  that  time  Mord 
Valgard's  son  kept  house  at  Hof  on  the  Rangrivervales ;  he 


OF  OTKELL  IN  KIRKBY.  83 


was  crafty  and  spiteful.  Valgard  his  father  was  then  abroad, 
but  his  mother  was  dead.  He  was  very  envious  of  Gunnar  of 
Lithend.  He  was  wealthy,  so  far  as  goods  went,  but  had  not 
many  friends. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

OF  OTKELL  IN  KIRKBY. 

There  was  a  man  named  Otkell ;  he  was  the  son  of  Skarf,  the 
son  of  Hallkell,  who  fought  with  Gorm  of  Gormness,  and 
felled  him  on  the  holm.1  This  Hallkell  and  Kettlebjorn  the 
Old  were  brothers. 

Otkell  kept  house  at  Kirkby  ;  his  wife's  name  was  Thor- 
gerda ;  she  was  a  daughter  of  Mar,  the  son  of  Runolf,  the  son 
of  Naddad  of  the  Faroe  isles.  Otkell  was  wealthy  in  goods. 
His  sons  name  was  Thorgeir ;  he  was  young  in  years,  and 
a  bold  dashing  man. 

Skamkell  was  the  name  of  another  man  ;  he  kept  house  at 
another  farm  called  Hof ;  he  was  well  off  for  money,  but  he 
was  a  spiteful  man  and  a  liar ;  quarrelsome  too,  and  ill  to  deal 
with.  He  was  Otkell's  friend.  Hallkell  was  the  name  of 
OtkelVs  brother ;  he  was  a  tall  strong  man,  and  lived  there 
with  Otkell ;  their  brother's  name  was  Hallbjorn  the  White  ; 
he  brought  out  to  Iceland  a  thrall,  whose  name  was  Malcolm ; 
he  was  Irish  and  had  not  many  friends. 

Hallbjorn  went  to  stay  with  Otkell,  and  so  did  his  thrall 
Malcolm.  The  thrall  was  always  saying  that  he  should  think 
himself  happy  if  Otkell  owned  him.  Otkell  was  kind  to  him, 
and  gave  him  a  knife  and  belt,  and  a  full  suit  of  clothes,  but 
the  thrall  turned  his  hand  to  any  work  that  Otkell  wished. 

Otkell  wanted  to  make  a  bargain  with  his  brother  for  the 
thrall ;  he  said  he  would  give  him  the  thrall,  but  said  too,  that 
he  was  a  worse  treasure  than  he  thought.  And  as  soon  as 
Otkell  owned  the  thrall,  then  he  did  less  and  less  work. 
Otkell  often  said  outright  to  Hallbjorn,  that  he  thought  the 
thrall  did  little  work  ;  and  he  told  Otkell  that  there  was  worse 
in  him  yet  to  come. 

1  That  is,  slew  him  in  a  duel. 


84     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


At  that  time  came  a  great  scarcity,  so  that  men  fell  short 
both  of  meat  and  hay,  and  that  spread  over  all  parts  of  Iceland. 
Gunnar  shared  his  hay  and  meat  with  many  men  ;  and  all  got 
them  who  came  thither,  so  long  as  his  stores  lasted.  At  last 
it  came  about  that  Gunnar  himself  fell  short  both  of  hay  and 
meat.  Then  Gunnar  called  on  Kolskegg  to  go  along  with 
him ;  he  called  too  on  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's 
son.  They  fared  to  Kirkby,  and  called  Otkell  out.  He 
greeted  them,  and  Gunnar  said,  "  It  so  happens  that  I  am 
come  to  deal  with  thee  for  hay  and  meat,  if  there  be  any 
left". 

Otkell  answers,  "There  is  store  of  both,  but  I  will  sell 
thee  neither 

"Wilt  thou  give  me  them  then,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  run 
the  risk  of  my  paying  thee  back  somehow  ?  " 

"  I  will  not  do  that  either,"  says  Otkell. 

Skamkell  all  the  while  was  giving  him  bad  counsel. 

Then  Thrain  Sigfus'  son  said,  "  It  would  serve  him  right  if 
we  take  both  hay  and  meat  and  lay  down  the  worth  of  them 
instead 

Skamkell  answered,  "  All  the  men  of  Mossfell  must  be 
dead  and  gone  then,  if  ye,  sons  of  Sigfus,  are  to  come  and  rob 
them 

"  I  will  have  no  hand  in  any  robbery/'  says  Gunnar. 

"Wilt  thou  buy  a  thrall  of  me  ?  "  says  Otkell. 

"I'll  not  spare  to  do  that,"  says  Gunnar.  After  that 
Gunnar  bought  the  thrall,  and  fared  away  as  things  stood. 

Njal  hears  of  this,  and  said,  "Such  things  are  ill  done, 
to  refuse  to  let  Gunnar  buy  ;  and  it  is  not  a  good  outlook  for 
others  if  such  men  as  he  cannot  get  what  they  want  ". 

"What's  the  good  of  thy  talking  so  much  about  such  a 
little  matter  ?  "  says  Bergthora  ;  "  far  more  like  a  man  would  it 
be  to  let  him  have  both  meat  and  hay,  when  thou  lackest 
neither  of  them." 

"That  is  clear  as  day,"  says  Njal,  "and  I  will  of  a  surety 
supply  his  need  somewhat." 

Then  he  fared  up  to  Thorolfsfell,  and  his  sons  with  him, 
and  they  bound  hay  on  fifteen  horses ;  but  on  five  horses  they 
had  meat.  Njal  came  to  Lithend,  and  called  Gunnar  out. 
He  greeted  them  kindly. 

"Here  is  hay  and  meat,"  said  Njal,  "which  I  will  give 
thee  ;  and  my  wish  is,  that  thou  shouldst  never  look  to  any 
one  else  than  to  me  if  thou  standest  in  need  of  any  thing." 


MALCOLM  STEALS  FROM  KIRKBY.  85 


"Good  are  thy  gifts/'  says  Gunnar,  "but  methinks  thy 
friendship  is  still  more  worth,  and  that  of  thy  sons." 

After  that  Njal  fared  home,  and  now  the  spring  passes 
away. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

HOW  HALLGERDA  MAKES  MALCOLM  STEAL  FROM  KIRKBY. 

Now  Gunnar  is  about  to  ride  to  the  Thing,  but  a  great 
crowd  of  men  from  the  Side  east  turned  in  as  guests  at  his 
house. 

Gunnar  bade  them  come  and  be  his  guests  again,  as  they 
rode  back  from  the  Thing ;  and  they  said  they  would  do  so. 

Now  they  ride  to  the  Thing,  and  Njal  and  his  sons  were 
there.    That  Thing  was  still  and  quiet. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Hallgerda 
comes  to  talk  with  Malcolm  the  thrall. 

"  I  have  thought  of  an  errand  to  send  thee  on,"  she  says  ; 
"thou  shalt  go  to  Kirkby." 

"And  what  shall  I  do  there  ?  "  he  says. 

"Thou  shalt  steal  from  thence  food  enough  to  load  two 
horses,  and  mind  and  have  butter  and  cheese  ;  but  thou  shalt 
lay  fire  in  the  storehouse,  and  all  will  think  that  it  has  arisen 
out  of  heedlessness,  but  no  one  will  think  that  there  has  been 
theft." 

"  Bad  have  I  been,"  said  the  thrall,  "  but  never  have  x 
I  been  a  thief." 

"  Hear  a  wonder  !  "  says  Hallgerda,  "  thou  makest  thyself 
good,  thou  that  hast  been  both  thief  and  murderer ;  but  thou 
shalt  not  dare  to  do  aught  else  than  go,  else  will  I  let  thee  be 
slain." 

He  thought  he  knew  enough  of  her  to  be  sure  that  she 
would  so  do  if  he  went  not ;  so  he  took  at  night  two  horses 
and  laid  packsaddles  on  them,  and  went  his  way  to  Kirkby. 
The  house-dog  knew  him  and  did  not  bark  at  him,  and  ran 
and  fawned  on  him.  After  that  he  went  to  the  storehouse 
and  loaded  the  two  horses  with  food  out  of  it,  but  the  store- 
house he  burnt,  and  the  dog  he  slew. 

He  went  up  along  by  Rangriver,  and  his  shoe-thong  snapped  ; 


86     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


so  he  takes  his  knife  and  makes  the  shoe  right,  but  he  leaves 
the  knife  and  belt  lying  there  behind  him. 

He  fares  till  he  comes  to  Lithend ;  then  he  misses  the 
knife,  but  dares  not  to  go  back. 

Now  he  brings  Hallgerda  the  food,  and  she  showed  herself 
well  pleased  at  it. 

Next  morning  when  men  came  out  of  doors  at  Kirkby 
there  they  saw  great  scathe.  Then  a  man  was  sent  to  the 
Thing  to  tell  Otkell,  he  bore  the  loss  well,  and  said  it  must 
have  happened  because  the  kitchen  was  next  to  the  store- 
house ;  and  all  thought  that  that  was  how  it  happened. 

Now  men  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  many  rode  to 
Lithend.  Hallgerda  set  food  on  the  board,  and  in  came  cheese 
and  butter.  Gunnar  knew  that  such  food  was  not  to  be  looked 
for  in  his  house,  and  asked  Hallgerda  whence  it  came  ? 

"Thence/'  she  says,  "whence  thou  mightest  well  eat  of 
it ;  besides,  it  is  no  man's  business  to  trouble  himself  with 
housekeeping." 

Gunnar  got  wroth  and  said,  "111  indeed  is  it  if  I  am  a 
partaker  with  thieves  "  ;  and  with  that  he  gave  her  a  slap  on 
the  cheek. 

She  said  she  would  bear  that  slap  in  mind  and  repay  it  if 
she  could. 

So  she  went  off  and  he  went  with  her,  and  then  all  that 
was  on  the  board  was  cleared  away,  but  flesh-meat  was  brought 
in  instead,  and  all  thought  that  was  because  the  flesh  was 
thought  to  have  been  got  in  a  better  way. 

Now  the  men  who  had  been  at  the  Thing  fare  away. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

OF  SKAMKELL' S  EVIL  COUNSEL. 

Now  we  must  tell  of  Skamkell.  He  rides  after  some  sheep 
up  along  Rangriver,  and  he  sees  something  shining  in  the 
path.  He  finds  a  knife  and  belt,  and  thinks  he  knows  both 
of  them.  He  fares  with  them  to  Kirkby ;  Otkell  was  out  of 
doors  when  Skamkell  came.     He  spoke  to  him  and  said — 

"  Knowest  thou  aught  of  these  pretty  things  ? " 

"Of  a  surety,"  says  Otkell,  "I  know  them." 


OF  SKAMKELL'S  EVIL  COUNSEL.  87 


"Who  owns  them?"  asks  Skamkell. 
"  Malcolm  the  thrall/'  says  Otkell. 

"  Then  more  shall  see  and  know  them  than  we  two,"  says 
Skamkell,  "  for  true  will  I  be  to  thee  in  counsel." 

They  showed  them  to  many  men,  and  all  knew  them. 
Then  Skamkell  said — 

"  What  counsel  wilt  thou  now  take  ?  " 

"  We  shall  go  and  see  Mord  Valgard's  son,"  answers  Otkell, 
"and  seek  counsel  of  him." 

So  they  went  to  Hof,  and  showed  the  pretty  things  to 
Mord,  and  asked  him  if  he  knew  them  ? 

He  said  he  knew  them  well  enough,  but  what  was  there 
in  that  ?  "  Do  you  think  you  have  a  right  to  look  for  any- 
thing at  Lithend  ?  " 

"  We  think  it  hard  for  us,"  says  Skamkell,  a  to  know  what 
to  do,  when  such  mighty  men  have  a  hand  in  it." 

"That  is  so,  sure  enough,"  says  Mord,  "but  yet  I  will  get 
to  know  those  things  out  of  Gunnar's  household,  which  none 
of  you  will  ever  know." 

"We  would  give  thee  money,"  they  say,  "if  thou  wouldst 
search  out  this  thing." 

"That  money  I  shall  buy  full  dear,"  answered  Mord,  "but 
still,  perhaps,  it  may  be  that  I  will  look  at  the  matter." 

They  gave  him  three  marks  of  silver  for  lending  them  his 
help. 

Then  he  gave  them  this  counsel,  that  women  should  go 
about  from  house  to  house  with  small  wares,  and  give  them 
to  the  housewives,  and  mark  what  was  given  them  in  return. 

"  For,"  he  says,  "  'tis  the  turn  of  mind  of  all  men  first  to 
give  away  what  has  been  stolen,  if  they  have  it  in  their  keep- 
ing, and  so  it  will  be  here  also,  if  this  hath  happened  by  the 
hand  of  man.  Ye  shall  then  come  and  show  me  what  has 
been  given  to  each  in  each  house,  and  I  shall  then  be  free 
from  further  share  in  this  matter,  if  the  truth  comes  to 
light." 

To  this  they  agreed,  and  went  home  afterwards. 

Mord  sends  women  about  the  country,  and  they  were  away 
half  a  month.  Then  they  came  back,  and  had  big  bundles. 
Mord  asked  where  they  had  most  given  them  ? 

They  said  that  at  Lithend  most  was  given  them,  and 
Hallgerda  had  been  most  bountiful  to  them. 

He  asked  what  was  given  them  there  ? 

"  Cheese,"  say  they. 


88     THE  STOEY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


He  begged  to  see  it,  and  they  showed  it  to  him,  and  it 
was  in  great  slices.    These  he  took  and  kept. 

A  little  after,  Mord  fared  to  see  Otkell,  and  bade  that  he 
would  bring  Thorgerda's  cheese-mould ;  and  when  that  was 
done,  he  laid  the  slices  down  in  it,  and  lo !  they  fitted  the 
mould  in  every  way. 

Then  they  saw,  too,  that  a  whole  cheese  had  been  given 
to  them. 

Then  Mord  said,  "Now  may  ye  see  that  Hallgerda  must 
have  stolen  the  cheese  "  ;  and  they  all  passed  the  same  judg- 
ment ;  and  then  Mord  said,  that  now  he  thought  he  was  free 
of  this  matter. 

After  that  they  parted. 

Shortly  after  Kolskegg  fell  to  talking  with  Gunnar,  and 
said — 

"  111  is  it  to  tell,  but  the  story  is  in  every  man's  mouth, 
that  Hallgerda  must  have  stolen,  and  that  she  was  at  the 
bottom  of  all  that  great  scathe  that  befell  at  Kirkby." 

Gunnar  said  that  he  too  thought  that  must  be  so.  "  But 
what  is  to  be  done  now  ?  " 

Kolskegg  answered,  "  That  wilt  think  it  thy  most  bounden 
duty  to  make  atonement  for  thy  wife's  wrong,  and  methinks 
it  were  best  that  thou  farest  to  see  Otkell,  and  makest  him  a 
handsome  offer." 

"This  is  well  spoken,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  so  it  shall  be." 

A  little  after  Gunnar  sent  after  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and 
Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  they  came  at  once. 

Gunnar  told  them  whither  he  meant  to  go,  and  they  were 
well  pleased.  Gunnar  rode  with  eleven  men  to  Kirkby,  and 
called  Otkell  out.  Skamkell  was  there  too,  and  said,  "  I  will 
go  out  with  thee,  and  it  will  be  best  now  to  have  the  balance  of 
wit  on  thy  side.  And  I  would  wish  to  stand  closest  by  thee 
when  thou  needest  it  most,  and  now  this  will  be  put  to  the 
proof.  Methinks  it  were  best  that  thou  puttest  on  an  air  of 
great  weight." 

Then  they,  Otkell  and  Skamkell,  and  Hallkell  and  Hall- 
bjorn,  went  out  all  of  them. 

They  greeted  Gunnar,  and  he  took  their  greeting  well. 
Otkell  asks  whither,  he  meant  to  go  ? 

"No  farther  than  here,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  my  errand 
hither  is  to  tell  thee  about  that  bad  mishap — how  it  arose 
from  the  plotting  of  my  wife  and  that  thrall  whom  I  bought 
from  thee." 


OF  SKAMKELLS  EVIL  COUNSEL.  89 


"'Tis  only  what  was  to  be  looked  for/'  says  Hallbjorn. 

"Now  I  will  make  thee  a  good  offer/'  says  Gunnar,  "and 
the  offer  is  this,  that  the  best  men  here  in  the  country  round 
settle  the  matter/ ' 

"This  is  a  fair-sounding  offer/'  said  Skamkell,  "but  an 
unfair  and  uneven  one.  Thou  art  a  man  who  has  many 
friends  among  the  householders,  but  Otkell  has  not  many 
friends." 

"Well/*  says  Gunnar,  "then  I  will  offer  thee  that  I  shall 
make  an  award,  and  utter  it  here  on  this  spot,  and  so  we  will 
settle  the  matter,  and  my  good-will  shall  follow  the  settlement. 
But  I  will  make  thee  an  atonement  by  paying  twice  the  worth 
of  what  was  lost." 

"This  choice  shalt  thou  not  take,"  said  Skamkell ;  "and  it 
is  unworthy  to  give  up  to  him  the  right  to  make  his  own  award, 
when  thou  oughtest  to  have  kept  it  for  thyself." 

So  Otkell  said,  "I  will  not  give  up  to  thee,  Gunnar,  the 
right  to  make  thine  own  award." 

"I  see  plainly,"  said  Gunnar,  "the  help  of  men  who  will 
be  paid  off  for  it  one  day  I  daresay ;  but  come  now,  utter  an 
award  for  thyself." 

Otkell  leant  toward  Skamkell  and  said,  "What  shall 
I  answer  now  ?  " 

"This  thou  shalt  call  a  good  offer,  but  still  put  thy  suit 
into  the  hands  of  Gizur  the  white,  and  Geir  the  priest,  and 
then  many  will  say  this,  that  thou  behavest  like  Hallkell,  thy 
grandfather,  who  was  the  greatest  of  champions." 

"  Well  offered  is  this,  Gunnar,"  said  Otkell,  "  but  still  my 
will  is  thou  wouldst  give  me  time  to  see  Gizur  the  white." 

"  Do  now  whatever  thou  likest  in  the  matter,"  said  Gunnar  ; 
"but  men  will  say  this,  that  thou  couldst  not  see  thine  own 
honour  when  thou  wouldst  have  none  of  the  choices  I  offer 
thee." 

Then  Gunnar  rode  home,  and  when  he  had  gone  away, 
Hallbjorn  said,  "  Here  I  see  how  much  man  differs  from  man. 
Gunnar  made  thee  good  offers,  but  thou  wouldst  take  none  of 
them ;  or  how  dost  thou  think  to  strive  with  Gunnar  in  a 
quarrel,  when  no  one  is  his  match  in  fight.  But  now  he  is 
still  so  kind-hearted  a  man  that  it  may  be  he  will  let  these 
offers  stand,  though  thou  art  only  ready  to  take  them  after- 
wards. Methinks  it  were  best  that  thou  farest  to  see  Gizur 
the  white  and  Geir  the  priest  now  this  very  hour." 




90     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


way.  Otkell  was  not  sharps ighted,  and  Skamkell  walked  on 
the  way  along  with  him,  and  said  to  Otkell — 

"  Methought  it  strange  that  thy  brother  would  not  take 
this  toil  from  thee,  and  now  I  will  make  thee  an  offer  to  fare 
instead  of  thee,  for  I  know  that  the  journey  is  irksome  to 
thee." 

"I  will  take  that  offer,"  says  Otkell,  "but  mind  and  be  as 
truthful  as  ever  thou  canst." 

"  So  it  shall  be,"  says  Skamkell. 

Then  Skamkell  took  his  horse  and  cloak,  but  Otkell  walks 
home. 

Hallbjorn  was  out  of  doors,  and  said  to  Otkell — 

"  111  is  it  to  have  a  thrall  for  one's  bosom  friend,  and  we 
shall  rue  this  for  ever  that  thou  hast  turned  back,  and  it  is  an 
unwise  step  to  send  the  greatest  liar  on  an  errand,  of  which 
one  may  so  speak  that  men's  lives  hang  on  it." 

"Thou  wouldst  be  sore  afraid,"  says  Otkell,  "if  Gunnar 
had  his  bill  aloft,  when  thou  art  so  scared  now." 

"  No  one  knows  who  will  be  most  afraid  then,"  said  Hall- 
bjorn ;  "but  this  thou  wilt  have  to  own,  that  Gunnar  does  not 
lose  much  time  in  brandishing  his  bill  when  he  is  wroth." 

"Ah!"  said  Otkell,  "ye  are  all  of  you  for  yielding  but 
Skamkell." 

And  then  they  were  both  wroth. 


CHAPTER  L. 


OF  SKAMKELL'S  LYING. 


Skamkell  came  to  Mossfell,  and  repeated  all  the  offers  to 
Gizur. 

"It  so  seems  to  me,"  says  Gizur,  "as  though  these  have 
been  bravely  offered  ;  but  why  took  he  not  these  offers  ?  " 

"  The  chief  cause  was,"  answers  Skamkell,  "  that  all 
wished  to  show  thee  honour,  and  that  was  why  he  waited  for 
thy  utterance  ;  besides,  that  is  best  for  all." 

So  Skamkell  stayed  there  the  night  over,  but  Gizur  sent  a 
man  to  fetch  Geir  the  priest ;  and  he  came  there  early.  Then 
Gizur  told  him  the  story  and  said — 

",What  course  is  to  be  taken  now  ?  "  \  i 


OF  SKAMKELL'S  LYING.  91 


u  As  thou  no  doubt  hast  already  made  up  thy  mind — to 
make  the  best  of  the  business  for  both  sides." 

u  Now  we  will  let  Skamkell  tell  his  tale  a  second  time, 
and  see  how  he  repeats  it." 

So  they  did  that,  and  Gizur  said — 

"  Thou  must  have  told  this  story  right  ;  but  still  I  have 
seen  thee  to  be  the  wickedest  of  men,  and  there  is  no  faith  in 
faces  if  thou  turnest  out  well." 

Skamkell  fared  home,  and  rides  first  to  Kirkby  and  calls 
Otkell  out.  He  greets  Skamkell  well,  and  Skamkell  brought 
him  the  greeting  of  Gizur  and  Geir. 

u  But  about  this  matter  of  the  suit,"  he  says,  "  there  is  no 
need  to  speak  softly,  how  that  it  is  the  will  of  both  Gizur  and 
Geir  that  this  suit  should  not  be  settled  in  a  friendly  way. 
They  gave  that  counsel  that  a  summons  should  be  set  on  foot, 
and  that  Gunnar  should  be  summoned  for  having  partaken  of 
the  goods,  but  Hallgerda  for  stealing  them." 

"  It  shall  be  done,"  said  Otkell,  "  in  everything  as  they  have 
given  counsel." 

"They  thought  most  of  this,"  says  Skamkell,  "that  thou 
hadst  behaved  so  proudly ;  but  as  for  me,  I  made  as  great  a 
man  of  thee  in  everything  as  I  could." 

Now  Otkell  tells  all  this  to  his  brothers,  and  Hallbjorn 
said — 

"  This  must  be  the  biggest  lie." 

Now  the  time  goes  on  until  the  last  of  the  summoning 
days  before  the  Althing  came. 

Then  Otkell  called  on  his  brothers  and  Skamkell  to  ride 
on  the  business  of  the  summons  to  Lithend. 

Hallbjorn  said  he  would  go,  but  said  also  that  they  would 
rue  this  summoning  as  time  went  on. 

Now  they  rode  twelve  of  them  together  to  Lithend,  but 
when  they  came  into  the  "town,"  there  was  Gunnar  out  of 
doors,  and  knew  naught  of  their  coming  till  they  had  ridden 
right  up  to  the  house. 

He  did  not  go  in-doors  then,  and  Otkell  thundered  out 
the  summons  there  and  then ;  but  when  they  had  made  an 
end  of  the  summoning  Skamkell  said — 

"  Is  it  all  right,  master  ?  " 

"Ye  know  that  best,"  says  Gunnar,  "but  I  will  put  thee  in 
mind  of  this  journey  one  of  these  days,  and  of  thy  good  help." 

"That  will  not  harm  us,"  says  Skamkell,  "if  thy  bill  be 
not  aloft." 


92     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Gunnar  was  very  wroth  and  went  indoors,  and  told  Kols- 
kegg, and  Kolskegg  said — 

"  111  was  it  that  we  were  not  out  of  doors  ;  they  should 
have  come  here  on  the  most  shameful  journey,  if  we  had  been 

by." 

"  Everything  bides  its  time/'  says  Gunnar ;  "  but  this 
journey  will  not  turn  out  to  their  honour." 

A  little  after  Gunnar  went  and  told  Njal. 

"  Let  it  not  worry  thee  a  jot,"  said  Njal,  "  for  this  will  be 
the  greatest  honour  to  thee,  ere  this  Thing  comes  to  an  end. 
As  for  us,  we  will  all  back  thee  with  counsel  and  force." 

Gunnar  thanked  him  and  rode  home. 
^  Otkell  rides  to  the  Thing,  and  his  brothers  with  him  and 
Skamkell. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

OF  GUNNAR. 

Gunnar  rode  to  the  Thing  and  all  the  sons  of  Sigfus  ;  Njal 
and  his  sons  too,  they  all  went  with  Gunnar ;  and  it  was  said 
that  no  band  was  so  well  knit  and  hardy  as  theirs. 

Gunnar  went  one  day  to  the  booth  of  the  Dalemen  ;  Hrut 
was  by  the  booth  and  Hauskuld,  and  they  greeted  Gunnar 
well.  Now  Gunnar  tells  them  the  whole  story  of  the  suit  up 
to  that  time. 

"What  counsel  gives  Njal?"  asks  Hrut. 

"  He  bade  me  seek  you  brothers,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  said 
he  was  sure  that  he  and  you  would  look  at  the  matter  in  the 
same  light." 

"He  wishes  then,  says  Hrut,  "that  I  should  say  what 
I  think  for  kinship's  sake  ;  and  so  it  shall  be.  Thou  shalt 
challenge  Gizur  the  white  to  combat  on  the  island,  if  they  do 
not  leave  the  whole  award  to  thee ;  but  Kolskegg  shall  challenge 
Geir  the  Priest.  As  for  Otkell  and  his  crew,  men  must  be  got 
ready  to  fall  on  them ;  and  now  we  have  such  great  strength 
all  of  us  together,  that  thou  mayst  carry  out  whatever  thou 
wilt." 

Gunnar  went  home  to  his  booth  and  told  Njal. 
"Just  what  I  looked  for,"  said  Njal. 


OF  GUNNAR. 


93 


Wolf  Aurpriest  got  wind  of  this  plan,  and  told  Gizur,  and 
Gizur  said  to  Otkell — 

"  Who  gave  thee  that  counsel  that  thou  shouldst  summon 
Gunnar  ?  " 

"  Skamkell  told  me  that  was  the  counsel  of  both  Geir  the 
priest  and  thyself." 

"But  where  is  that  scoundrel,"  says  Gizur,  "who  has 
thus  lied  ?  " 

"  He  lies  sick  up  at  our  booth,"  says  Otkell. 

"  May  he  never  rise  from  his  bed,"  says  Gizur.  "  Now  we 
must  all  go  to  see  Gunnar,  and  offer  him  the  right  to  make  his 
own  award  ;  but  I  know  not  whether  he  will  take  that  now." 

Many  men  spoke  ill  of  Skamkell,  and  he  lay  sick  all  through 
the  Thing. 

Gizur  and  his  friends  went  to  Gunnar's  booth ;  their 
coming  was  known,  and  Gunnar  was  told  as  he  sat  in  his 
booth,  and  then  they  all  went  out  and  stood  in  array. 

Gizur  the  white  came  first,  and  after  a  while  he  spoke  and 
said — 

"This  is  our  offer — that  thou,  Gunnar,  makest  thine  own 
award  in  this  suit." 

"  Then,"  says  Gunnar,  "  it  was  no  doubt  far  from  thy 
counsel  that  I  was  summoned." 

"I  gave  no  such  counsel,"  says  Gizur,  "neither  I  nor  Geir." 

"Then  thou  must  clear  thyself  of  this  charge  by  fitting 
proof." 

"What  proof  dost  thou  ask  ?  "  says  Gizur. 

"That  thou  takest  an  oath,"  says  Gunnar. 

"That  I  will  do,"  says  Gizur,  "  if  thou  wilt  take  the  award 
into  thine  own  hands." 

"That  was  the  offer  I  made  a  while  ago,"  says  Gunnar; 
"but  now,  methinks,  I  have  a  greater  matter  to  pass  judgment 
on." 

"  It  will  not  be  right  to  refuse  to  make  thine  own  award," 
said  Njal ;  'J  for  the  greater  the  matter,  the  greater  the  honour 
in  making  it. 

"Well,"  said  Gunnar,  "I  will  do  this  to  please  my  friends, 
and  utter  my  award  ;  but  I  give  Otkell  this  bit  of  advice,  never 
to  give  me  cause  for  quarrel  hereafter." 

Then  Hrut  and  Hauskuld  were  sent  for,  and  they  came 
thither,  and  then  Gizur  the  White  and  Geir  the  priest  took 
their  oaths ;  but  Gunnar  made  his  award,  and  spoke  with  no 
man  about  it,  and  afterwards  he  uttered  it  as  follows  : — 


94     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"This  is  my  award/'  he  says;  "first,  I  lay  it  down  that 
the  storehouse  must  be  paid  for,  and  the  food  that  was  therein  ; 
but  for  the  thrall,  I  will  pay  thee  no  fine,  for  that  thou  hiddest 
his  faults  ;  but  I  award  him  back  to  thee ;  for  as  the  saying  is, 
'  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  most  together  \  Then,  on  the  other 
hand,  I  see  that  thou  hast  summoned  me  in  scorn  and  mockery, 
and  for  that  I  award  to  myself  no  less  a  sum  than  what  the 
house  that  was  burnt  and  the  stores  in  it  were  worth  ;  but  if 
ye  think  it  better  that  we  be  not  set  at  one  again,  then  I  will 
let  you  have  your  choice  of  that,  but  if  so  I  have  already  made 
up  my  mind  what  I  shall  do,  and  then  I  will  fulfil  my  purpose/' 

"What  we  ask,"  said  Gizur,  "is  that  thou  shouldst  not 
be  hard  on  Otkell,  but  we  beg  this  of  thee,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  thou  wouldst  be  his  friend." 

"  That  shall  never  be,"  said  Gunnar,  "  so  long  as  I  live ; 
but  he  shall  have  Skamkell's  friendship ;  on  that  he  has  long 
leant." 

"  Well,"  answers  Gizur,  "  we  will  close  with  thee  in  this 
matter,  though  thou  alone  lay  est  down  the  terms." 

Then  all  this  atonement  was  made  and  hands  were  shaken 
on  it,  and  Gunnar  said  to  Otkell — 

"  It  were  wiser  to  go  away  to  thy  kinsfolk ;  but  if  thou 
wilt  be  here  in  this  country,  mind  that  thou  givest  me  no 
cause  of  quarrel." 

"  That  is  wholesome  counsel,"  said  Gizur ;  "  and  so  he 
shall  do." 

So  Gunnar  had  the  greatest  honour  from  that  suit,  and 
afterwards  men  rode  home  from  the  Thing. 

Now  Gunnar  sits  in  his  house  at  home,  and  so  things  are 
quiet  for  a  while. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

OF  RUNOLF,  THE  SON  OF  WOLF  AURPRIEST. 

There  was  a  man  named  Runolf,  the  son  of  Wolf  Aurpriest, 
he  kept  house  at  the  Dale,  east  of  Markfleet.  He  was  Otkeli's 
guest  once  when  he  rode  from  the  Thing.  Otkell  gave  him 
an  ox,  all  black,  without  a  spot  of  white,  nine  winters  old. 
Runolf  thanked  him  for  the  gift,  and  bade  him  come  and  see 


RUNOLF,  SON  OF  WOLF  AURPRIEST.  95 


him  at  home  whenever  he  chose  to  go  ;  and  this  bidding  stood 
over  for  some  while,  so  that  he  had  not  paid  the  visit.  Runolf 
often  sent  men  to  him  and  put  him  in  mind  that  he  ought  to 
come ;  and  he  always  said  he  would  come,  but  never  went. 

Now  Otkell  had  two  horses,  dun  coloured,  with  a  black 
stripe  down  the  back  ;  they  were  the  best  steeds  to  ride  in 
all  the  country  round,  and  so  fond  of  each  other,  that  whenever 
one  went  before,  the  other  ran  after  him. 

There  was  an  Easterling  staying  with  Otkell,  whose  name 
was  Audulf ;  he  had  set  his  heart  on  Signy  Otkell's  daughter. 
Audulf  was  a  tall  man  in  growth,  and  strong. 


CHAPTER  LIIL 

HOW  OTKELL  RODE  OVER  GUNNAR. 

It  happened  next  spring  that  Otkell  said  that  they  would 
ride  east  to  the  Dale,  to  pay  Runolf  a  visit,  and  all  showed 
themselves  well  pleased  at  that.  Skamkell  and  his  two 
brothers,  and  Audulf  and  three  men  more,  went  along  with 
Otkell.  Otkell  rode  one  of  the  dun  horses,  but  the  other  ran 
loose  by  his  side.  They  shaped  their  course  east  towards 
Markfleet ;  and  now  Otkell  gallops  ahead,  and  now  the 
horses  race  against  each  other,  and  they  break  away  from  the 
path  up  towards  the  Fleetlithe. 

Now,  Otkell  goes  faster  than  he  wished,  and  it  happened 
that  Gunnar  had  gone  away  from  home  out  of  his  house  all 
alone ;  and  he  had  a  corn-sieve  in  one  hand,  but  in  the  other 
a  hand-axe.  He  goes  down  to  his  seed  field  and  sows  his 
corn  there,  and  had  laid  his  cloak  of  fine  stuff  and  his  axe 
down  by  his  side,  and  so  he  sows  the  corn  a  while. 

Now,  it  must  be  told  how  Otkell  rides  faster  than  he 
would.  He  had  spurs  on  his  feet,  and  so  he  gallops  down 
over  the  ploughed  field,  and  neither  of  them  sees  the  other ; 
and  just  as  Gunnar  stands  upright,  Otkell  rides  down  upon 
him,  and  drives  one  of  the  spurs  into  Gunnar' s  ear,  and  gives 
him  a  great  gash,  and  it  bleeds  at  once  much. 

Just  then  OtkelFs  companions  rode  up. 

"  Ye  may  see,  all  of  you,"  says  Gunnar,  "  that  thou  hast 
drawn  my  blood,  and  it  is  unworthy  to  go  on  so.    First  thou 


96     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


hast  summoned  me,  but  now  thou  treadest  me  under  foot,  and 
ridest  over  me." 

Skamkell  said,  "  Well  it  was  no  worse,  master,  but  thou 
wast  not  one  whit  less  wroth  at  the  Thing,  when  thou  tookest 
the  selfdoom  and  clutchedst  thy  bill." 

Gunnar  said,  "  When  we  two  next  meet  thou  shalt  see  the 
bill."  After  that  they  part  thus,  and  Skamkell  shouted  out 
and  said,  "Ye  ride  hard,  lads  !  " 

Gunnar  went  home,  and  said  never  a  word  to  any  one  about 
what  had  happened,  and  no  one  thought  that  this  wound  could 
have  come  by  man's  doing. 

It  happened,  though,  one  day  that  he  told  it  to  his  brother 
Kolskegg,  and  Kolskegg  said — 

"This  thou  shalt  tell  to  more  men,  so  that  it  may  not  be 
said  that  thou  layest  blame  on  dead  men ;  for  it  will  be  gain- 
said if  witnesses  do  not  know  beforehand  what  has  passed 
between  you/' 

Then  Gunnar  told  it  to  his  neighbours,  and  there  was  little 
talk  about  it  at  first. 

Otkell  comes  east  to  the  Dale,  and  they  get  a  hearty 
welcome  there,  and  sit  there  a  week. 

Skamkell  told  Runolf  all  about  their  meeting  with  Gunnar, 
and  how  it  had  gone  off ;  and  one  man  had  happened  to  ask 
how  Gunnar  behaved. 

"Why,"  said  Skamkell,  "if  it  were  a  low-born  man  it 
would  have  been  said  that  he  had  wept." 

"  Such  things  are  ill  spoken,"  says  Runolf,  "  and  when  ye 
two  next  meet,  thou  wilt  have  to  own  that  there  is  no  voice 
of  weeping  in  his  frame  of  mind  ;  and  it  will  be  well  if  better 
men  have  not  to  pay  for  thy  spite.  Now  it  seems  to  me  best 
when  ye  wish  to  go  home  that  I  should  go  with  you,  for 
Gunnar  will  do  me  no  harm." 

"  I  will  not  have  that,"  says  Otkell ;  "  but  I  will  ride 
across  the  Fleet  lower  down." 

Runolf  gave  Otkell  good  gifts,  and  said  they  should  not 
see  one  another  again. 

Otkell  bade  him  then  to  bear  his  sons  in  mind  if  things 
turned  out  so. 


THE  FIGHT  AT  RANGRIVER.  97 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

THE  FIGHT  AT  RANGRIVER. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Gunnar  was  out 
of  doors  at  Lithend,  and  sees  his  shepherd  galloping  up  to  the 
yard.  The  shepherd  rode  straight  into  the  "town";  and 
Gunnar  said,  "Why  ridest  thou  so  hard  ?  " 

"  I  would  be  faithful  to  thee/'  said  the  man ;  "  I  saw  men 
riding  down  along  Markfleet,  eight  of  them  together,  and  four 
of  them  were  in  coloured  clothes/' 

Gunnar  said,  "  That  must  be  Otkell 

The  lad  said,  "  I  have  often  heard  many  temper-trying 
words  of  Skamkell's ;  for  Skamkell  spoke  away  there  East  at 
Dale,  and  said  that  thou  sheddest  tears  when  they  rode  over 
thee  ;  but  I  tell  it  thee  because  I  cannot  bear  to  listen  to  such 
speeches  of  worthless  men 

"We  must  not  be  word-sick/'  says  Gunnar,  "but  from 
this  day  forth  thou  shalt  do  no  other  work  than  what  thou 
choosest  for  thyself." 

"  Shall  I  say  aught  of  this  to  Kolskegg  thy  brother  ? " 
asked  the  shepherd. 

"  Go  thou  and  sleep,"  says  Gunnar  ;  "  I  will  tell  Kolskegg." 

The  lad  laid  him  down  and  fell  asleep  at  once,  but  Gunnar 
took  the  shepherd's  horse  and  laid  his  saddle  on  him  ;  he  took 
his  shield,  and  girded  him  with  his  sword,  Oliver's  gift ;  he 
sets  his  helm  on  his  head ;  takes  his  bill,  and  something  sung 
loud  in  it,  and  his  mother,  Rannveig,  heard  it.  She  went  up 
to  him  and  said,  "  Wrathful  art  thou  now,  my  son,  and  never 
saw  I  thee  thus  before  ". 

Gunnar  goes  out,  and  drives  the  butt  of  his  spear  into  the 
earth,  and  throws  himself  into  the  saddle,  and  rides  away. 

His  mother,  Rannveig,  went  into  the  sitting-room,  where 
there  was  a  great  noise  of  talking. 

"Ye  speak  loud,"  she  says,  "but  yet  the  bill  gave  a  louder 
sound  when  Gunnar  went  out." 

Kolskegg  heard  what  she  said,  and  spoke,  "  This  betokens 
no  small  tidings  ". 

"That  is  well,"  says  Hallgerda,  "now  they  will  soon  prove 
whether  he  goes  away  from  them  weeping." 

Kolskegg  takes  his  weapons  and  seeks  him  a  horse,  and 
rides  after  Gunnar  as  fast  as  he  could. 

7 


98     THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Gunnar  rides  across  Acretongue,  and  so  to  Geilastofna,  and 
thence  to  Rangriver,  and  down  the  stream  to  the  ford  at  Hof. 
There  were  some  women  at  the  milking-post  there.  Gunnar 
jumped  off  his  horse  and  tied  him  up.  By  this  time  the  others 
were  riding  up  towards  him  ;  there  were  flat  stones  covered 
with  mud  in  the  path  that  led  down  to  the  ford. 

Gunnar  called  out  to  them  and  said,  "  Now  is  the  time  to 
guard  yourselves ;  here  now  is  the  bill,  and  here  now  ye  will 
put  it  to  the  proof  whether  I  shed  one  tear  for  all  of  you  ". 

Then  they  all  of  them  sprang  off  their  horses'  backs  and 
made  towards  Gunnar.    Hallbjorn  was  the  foremost. 

"  Do  not  thou  come  on/'  says  Gunnar ;  "  thee  last  of  all 
would  I  harm  ;  but  I  will  spare  no  one  if  I  have  to  fight  for 
my  life." 

"That  I  cannot  do/'  says  Hallbjorn;  "thou  wilt  strive  to 
kill  my  brother  for  all  that,  and  it  is  a  shame  if  I  sit  idly  by." 
And  as  he  said  this  he  thrust  at  Gunnar  with  a  great  spear 
which  he  held  in  both  hands. 

Gunnar  threw  his  shield  before  the  blow,  but  Hallbjorn 
pierced  the  shield  through.  Gunnar  thrust  the  shield  down 
so  hard  that  it  stood  fast  in  the  earth,1  but  he  brandished  his 
sword  so  quickly  that  no  eye  could  follow  it,  and  he  made  a 
blow  with  the  sword,  and  it  fell  on  Hallbjorn's  arm  above  the 
wrist,  so  that  it  cut  it  off. 

Skamkell  ran  behind  Gunnar' s  back  and  makes  a  blow  at 
him  with  a  great  axe.  Gunnar  turned  short  round  upon  him 
and  parries  the  blow  with  the  bill,  and  caught  the  axe  under 
one  of  its  horns  with  such  a  wrench  that  it  flew  out  of  Skam- 
kell's  hand  away  into  the  river. 

Then  Gunnar  sang  a  song. 

Once  thou  askedst,  foolish  fellow, 
Of  this  man,  this  seahorse  racer, 
When  as  fast  as  feet  could  foot  it 
Forth  ye  fled  from  farm  of  mine, 
Whether  that  were  rightly  summoned? 
Now  with  gore  the  spear  we  redden, 
Battle-eager,  and  avenge  us 
Thus  on  thee,  vile  source  of  strife. 

Gunnar  gives  another  thrust  with  his  bill,  and  through 
Skamkell,  and  lifts  him  up  and  casts  him  down  in  the  muddy 
path  on  his  head. 

Audulf  the  Easterling  snatches  up  a  spear  and  launches  it 

1  This  shows  that  the  shields  were  oblong,  running  down  to  a  point. 


NJAL'S  ADVICE  TO  GUNNAR.  99 


at  Gunnar.  Gunnar  caught  the  spear  with  his  hand  in  the  air, 
and  hurled  it  back  at  once,  and  it  flew  through  the  shield 
and  the  Easterling  too,  and  so  down  into  the  earth. 

Otkell  smites  at  Gunnar  with  his  sword,  and  aims  at  his 
leg  just  below  the  knee,  but  Gunnar  leapt  up  into  the  air  and 
he  misses  him.  Then  Gunnar  thrusts  at  him  the  bill,  and  the 
blow  goes  through  him. 

Then  Kolskegg  comes  up,  and  rushes  at  once  at  Hallkell 
and  dealt  him  his  death-blow  with  his  short  sword.  There 
and  then  they  slay  eight  men. 

A  woman  who  saw  all  this,  ran  home  and  told  Mord,  and 
besought  him  to  part  them. 

"They  alone  will  be  there/'  he  says,  "of  whom  I  care  not 
though  they  slay  one  another. " 

"Thou  canst  not  mean  to  say  that,"  she  says,  "for  thy 
kinsman  Gunnar,  and  thy  friend  Otkell  will  be  there. " 

"  Baggage  that  thou  art,"  he  says,  "  thou  art  always  chatter- 
ing," and  so  he  lay  still  in-doors  while  they  fought. 

Gunnar  and  Kolskegg  rode  home  after  this  work,  and  they 
rode  hard  up  along  the  river  bank,  and  Gunnar  slipped  off  his 
horse  and  came  down  on  his  feet. 

Then  Kolskegg  said,  "  Hard  now  thou  ridest,  brother  !  " 

"Ay,"  said  Gunnar,  "that  was  what  Skamkell  said  when 
he  uttered  those  very  words  when  they  rode  over  me." 

"Well !  thou  hast  avenged  that  now,"  says  Kolskegg. 

"I  would  like  to  know,"  says  Gunnar,  "whether  I  am  by 
so  much  the  less  brisk  and  bold  than  other  men,  because 
I  think  more  of  killing  men  than  they  ? " 


CHAPTER  LV. 

NJAL'S  ADVICE  TO  GUNNAR. 

Now  those  tidings  are  heard  far  and  wide,  and  many  say  that 
they  thought  they  had  not  happened  before  it  was  likely. 
Gunnar  rode  to  Bergthorsknoll  and  told  Njal  of  these 
deeds. 

Njal  said,  "Thou  hast  done  great  things,  but  thou  hast 
been  sorely  tried." 

"  How  will  it  now  go  henceforth  ? "  says  Gunnar. 


100    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"Wilt  thou  that  I  tell  thee  what  hath  not  yet  come  to 
repass?"  asks  Njal.  "Thou  wilt  ride  to  the  Thing,  and  thou 
wilt  abide  by  my  counsel  and  get  the  greatest  honour  from 
this  matter.    This  will  be  the  beginning  of  thy  manslayings." 

"But  give  me  some  cunning  counsel/'  says  Gunnar. 

"I  will  do  that/'  says  Njal:  "never  slay  more  than  one 
man  in  the  same  stock,  and  never  break  the  peace  which  good 
men  and  true  make  between  thee  and  others,  and  least  of  all 
in  such  a  matter  as  this." 

Gunnar  said,  "  I  should  have  thought  there  was  more  risk 
^of  that  with  others  than  with  me." 

"Like  enough,"  says  Njal,  "but  still  thou  shalt  so  think 
of  thy  quarrels  that,  if  that  should  come  to  pass  of  which 
I  have  warned  thee,  then  thou  wilt  have  but  a  little  while  to 
live ;  but  otherwise,  thou  wilt  come  to  be  an  old  man." 

Gunnar  said,  "Dost  thou  know  what  will  be  thine  own 
death  ?  " 

"  I  know  it,"  says  Njal. 

"  What  ?  "  asks  Gunnar. 

"That,"  says  Njal,  "which  all  would  be  the  last  to  think." 
After  that  Gunnar  rode  home. 

A  man  was  sent  to  Gizur  the  white  and  Geir  the  priest, 
for  they  had  the  blood-feud  after  Otkell.  Then  they  had  a 
meeting,  and  had  a  talk  about  what  was  to  be  done  ;  and  they 
were  of  one  mind  that  the  quarrel  should  be  followed  up  at 
law.  Then  some  one  was  sought  who  would  take  the  suit  up, 
but  no  one  was  ready  to  do  that. 

"It  seems  to  me,"  says  Gizur,  "that  now  there  are  only 
two  courses,  that  one  of  us  two  undertakes  the  suit,  and  then 
we  shall  have  to  draw  lots  who  it  shall  be,  or  else  the  man 
will  be  unatoned.  We  may  make  up  our  minds,  too,  that 
this  will  be  a  heavy  suit  to  touch  ;  Gunnar  has  many  kinsmen 
and  is  much  beloved ;  but  that  one  of  us  who  does  not  draw 
the  lot  shall  ride  to  the  Thing  and  never  leave  it  until  the 
suit  comes  to  an  end." 

After  that  they  drew  lots,  and  Geir  the  priest  drew  the 
lot  to  take  up  the  suit. 

A  little  after,  they  rode  from  the  west  over  the  river,  and 
came  to  the  spot  where  the  meeting  had  been  by  Rangriver, 
and  dug  up  the  bodies,  and  took  witness  to  the  wounds. 
After  that  they  gave  lawful  notice  and  summoned  nine 
neighbours  to  bear  witness  in  the  suit. 

They  were  told  that  Gunnar  was  at  home  with  about 


GUNNAR  AND  GEIR  THE  PRIEST.  101 


thirty  men ;  then  Geir  the  priest  asked  whether  Gizur  would 
ride  against  hifn  with  one  hundred  men. 

"  I  will  not  do  that/'  says  he,  u  though  the  balance  of 
force  is  great  on  our  side." 

After  that  they  rode  back  home.  The  news  that  the 
suit  was  set  on  foot  was  spread  all  over  the  country,  and  the 
saying  ran  that  the  Thing  would  be  very  noisy  and  stormy. 


GUNNAR  AND  GEIR  THE  PRIEST  STRIVE  AT  THE  THING. 

There  was  a  man  named  Skapti.  He  was  the  son  of  Thorod. 
That  father  and  son  were  great  chiefs,  and  very  well  skilled 
in  law.  Thorod  was  thought  to  be  rather  crafty  and  guileful. 
They  stood  by  Gizur  the  white  in  every  quarrel. 

As  for  the  Lithemen  and  the  dwellers  by  Rangriver, 
they  came  in  a  great  body  to  the  Thing.  Gunnar  was  so 
beloved  that  all  said  with  one  voice  that  they  would  back 
him. 

Now  they  all  come  to  the  Thing  and  fit  up  their  booths. 
In  company  with  Gizur  the  white  were  these  chiefs  :  Skapti 
Thorod's  son,  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  Oddi  of  Kidberg,  and 
Halldor  Ornolf  s  son. 

Now  one  day  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  then 
Geir  the  priest  stood  up  and  gave  notice  that  he  had  a  suit 
of  manslaughter  against  Gunnar  for  the  slaying  of  Otkell. 
Another  suit  of  manslaughter  he  brought  against  Gunnar  for 
the  slaying  of  Hallbjorn  the  white  ;  then  too  he  went  on  in 
the  same  way  as  to  the  slaying  of  Audulf,  and  so  too  as  to 
the  slaying  of  Skamkell.  Then  too  he  laid  a  suit  of  man- 
slaughter against  Kolskegg  for  the  slaying  of  Hallkell. 

And  when  he  had  given  due  notice  of  all  his  suits  of 
manslaughter  it  was  said  that  he  spoke  well.  He  asked,  too, 
in  what  Quarter  court  the  suits  lay,  and  in  what  house  in  the 
district  the  defendants  dwelt.  After  that  men  went  away 
from  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  so  the  Thing  goes  on  till  the  day 
when  the  courts  were  to  be  set  to  try  suits.  Then  either  side 
gathered  their  men  together  in  great  strength. 

Geir  the  priest  and  Gizur  the  white  stood  at  the  court  of 


CHAPTER  LVI. 


102    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


the  men  of  Rangriver  looking  north,  and  Gunnar  and  Njal 
stood  looking  south  towards  the  court. 

Geir  the  priest  bade  Gunnar  to  listen  to  his  oath,  and 
then  he  took  the  oath,  and  afterwards  declared  his  suit. 

Then  he  let  men  bear  witness  of  the  notice  given  of  the 
suit ;  then  he  called  upon  the  neighbours  who  were  to  form 
the  inquest  to  take  their  seats  ;  then  he  called  on  Gunnar  to 
challenge  the  inquest ;  and  then  he  called  on  the  inquest  to 
utter  their  finding.  Then  the  neighbours  who  were  summoned 
on  the  inquest  went  to  the  court  and  took  witness,  and  said 
that  there  was  a  bar  to  their  finding  in  the  suit  as  to  Audulf  s 
slaying,  because  the  next  of  kin  who  ought  to  follow  it  up  was 
in  Norway,  and  so  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  that  suit. 

After  that  they  uttered  their  finding  in  the  suit  as  to 
Otkell,  and  brought  in  Gunnar  as  truly  guilty  of  killing  him. 

Then  Geir  the  priest  called  on  Gunnar  for  his  defence, 
and  took  witness  of  all  the  steps  in  the  suit  which  had  been 
proved. 

Then  Gunnar,  in  his  turn,  called  on  Geir  the  priest  to 
listen  to  his  oath,  and  to  the  defence  which  he  was  about  to 
bring  forward  in  the  suit.    Then  he  took  the  oath  and  said — 

"  This  defence  I  make  to  this  suit,  that  I  took  witness  and 
outlawed  Otkell  before  my  neighbours  for  that  bloody  wound 
which  I  got  when  Otkell  gave  me  a  hurt  with  his  spur ;  but 
thee,  Geir  the  priest,  I  forbid  by  a  lawful  protest  made  before 
a  priest  to  pursue  this  suit,  and  so,  too,  I  forbid  the  judges  to 
hear  it ;  and  with  this  I  make  all  the  steps  hitherto  taken  in 
this  suit  void  and  of  none-effect.  I  forbid  thee  by  a  lawful 
protest,  a  full,  fair,  and  binding  protest,  as  I  have  a  right  to 
forbid  thee  by  the  common  custom  of  the  Thing  and  by  the 
law  of  the  land. 

"  Besides,  I  will  tell  thee  something  else  which  I  mean  to 
do,"  says  Gunnar. 

"What !  "  says  Geir,  "wilt  thou  challenge  me  to  the  island 
as  thou  art  wont,  and  not  bear  the  law  ?  " 

"Not  that,"  says  Gunnar;  "1  shall  summon  thee  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws  for  that  thou  calledst  those  men  on  the  inquest 
who  had  no  right  to  deal  with  Audulf  s  slaying,  and  I  will 
declare  thee  for  that  guilty  of  outlawry." 

Then  Njal  said,  "Things  must  not  take  this  turn,  for  the 
only  end  of  it  will  be  that  this  strife  will  be  carried  to  the 
uttermost.  Each  of  you,  as  it  seems  to  me,  has  much  on  his 
side.    There  are  some  of  these  manslaughters,  Gunnar,  about 


GUNNAR  AND  GEIR  THE  PRIEST.  103 


which  thou  canst  say  nothing  to  hinder  the  court  from  finding 
thee  guilty ;  but  thou  hast  set  on  foot  a  suit  against  Geir,  in 
which  he,  too,  must  be  found  guilty.  Thou  too,  Geir  the 
priest,  shalt  know  that  this  suit  of  outlawry  which  hangs  over 
thee  shall  not  fall  to  the  ground  if  thou  wilt  not  listen  to  my 
words." 

Thorod  the  priest  said,  "It  seems  to  us  as  though  the 
most  peaceful  way  would  be  that  a  settlement  and  atonement 
were  come  to  in  the  suit.  But  why  sayest  thou  so  little,  Gizur 
the  white  ?  " 

"It  seems  to  me,"  says  Gizur,  "as  though  we  shall  need 
to  have  strong  props  for  our  suit ;  we  may  see,  too,  that 
Gunnar's  friends  stand  near  him,  and  so  the  best  turn  for  us 
that  things  can  take  will  be  that  good  men  and  true  should 
utter  an  award  on  the  suit,  if  Gunnar  so  wills  it." 

"  I  have  ever  been  willing  to  make  matters  up,"  says 
Gunnar ;  "  and,  besides,  ye  have  much  wrong  to  follow  up, 
but  still  I  think  I  was  hard  driven  to  do  a,s  I  did." 

And  now  the  end  of  those  suits  was,  by  the  counsel  of  the 
wisest  men,  that  all  the  suits  were  put  to  arbitration  ;  six  men 
were  to  make  this  award,  and  it  was  uttered  there  and  then  at 
the  Thing. 

The  award  was  that  Skamkell  should  be  unatoned.  The 
blood  money  for  Otkell's  death  was  to  be  set  off  against  the 
hurt  Gunnar  got  from  the  spur ;  and  as  for  the  rest  of  the 
manslaughters,  they  were  paid  for  after  the  worth  of  the  men, 
and  Gunnar's  kinsmen  gave  money  so  that  all  the  fines  might 
be  paid  up  at  the  Thing. 

Then  Geir  the  priest  and  Gizur  the  white  went  up  and 
gave  Gunnar  pledges  that  they  would  keep  the  peace  in  good 
faith. 

Gunnar  rode  home  from  the  Thing,  and  thanked  men  for 
their  help,  and  gave  gifts  to  many,  and  got  the  greatest  honour 
[jfrom  the  suit. 

Now  Gunnar  sits  at  home  in  his  honour. 


104    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

OF  STARKAD  AND  HIS  SONS. 

There  was  a  man  named  Starkad  ;  he  was  a  son  of  Bork  the 
waxytoothed-blade,  the  son  of  Thorkell  clubfoot,  who  took  the 
land  round  about  Threecorner  as  the  first  settler.  His  wife's 
name  was  Hallbera.  The  sons  of  Starkad  and  Hallbera  were 
these :  Thorgeir  and  Bork  and  Thorkell.  Hildigunna  the 
leech  was  their  sister. 

They  were  very  proud  men  in  temper,  hard-hearted  and 
unkind.    They  treated  men  wrongfully 

There  was  a  man  named  Egil ;  he  was  a  son  of  Kol,  who 
took  land  as  a  settler  between  Storlek  and  Reydwater.  The 
brother  of  Egil  was  Aunund  of  Witchwood,  father  of  Hall  the 
strong,  who  was  at  the  slaying  of  Holt-Thorir  with  the  sons  of 
Kettle  the  smooth-tongued. 

Egil  kept  house  at  Sandgil ;  his  sons  were  these  :  Kol  and 
Ottar  and  Hauk.  Their  mother's  name  was  Steinvor ;  she 
was  Starkad's  sister. 

Egil's  sons  were  tall  and  strifeful ;  they  were  most  unfair 
men.  They  were  always  on  one  side  with  Starkad' s  sons. 
Their  sister  was  Gudruna  nightsun,  and  she  was  the  best-bred 
of  women. 

Egil  had  taken  into  his  house  two  Easterlings  ;  the  one's 
name  was  Thorir  and  the  other's  Thorgrim.  They  were  not 
long  come  out  hither  for  the  first  time,  and  were  wealthy  and 
beloved  by  their  friends ;  they  were  well  skilled  in  arms,  too, 
and  dauntless  in  everything. 

Starkad  had  a  good  horse  of  chesnut  hue,  and  it  was 
thought  that  no  horse  was  his  match  in  fight.  Once  it 
happened  that  these  brothers  from  Sandgil  were  away  under 
the  Threecorner.  They  had  much  gossip  about  all  the  house- 
holders in  the  Fleetlithe,  and  they  fell  at  last  to  asking  whether 
there  was  any  one  that  would  fight  a  horse  against  them. 

But  there  were  some  men  there  who  spoke  so  as  to  flatter 
and  honour  them,  that  not  only  was  there  no  one  who  would 
dare  do  that,  but  that  there  was  no  one  that  had  such  a  horse. 

Then  Hildigunna  answered,  "  I  know  that  man  who  will 
dare  to  fight  horses  with  you  ". 

"Name  him,"  they  say. 


OF  STARKAD  AND  HIS  SONS.  105 


"Gunnar  has  a  brown  horse/'  she  says,  "and  he  will  dare 
to  fight  his  horse  against  you,  and  against  any  one  else." 

u  As  for  you  women/'  they  say,  "  you  think  no  one  can  be 
Gunnar's  match ;  but  though  Geir  the  priest  or  Gizur  the 
white  have  come  off  with  shame  from  before  him,  still  it  is  not 
settled  that  we  shall  fare  in  the  same  way." 

"  Ye  will  fare  much  worse,"  she  says ;  and  so  there  arose 
out  of  this  the  greatest  strife  between  them.  Then  Starkad 
said — 

"  My  will  is  that  ye  try  your  hands  on  Gunnar  last  of  all ; 
for  ye  will  find  it  hard  work  to  go  against  his  good  luck." 

"Thou  wilt  give  us  leave,  though,  to  offer  him  a  horse- 
fight  ?  " 

"  I  will  give  you  leave,  if  ye  play  him  no  trick." 

They  said  they  would  be  sure  to  do  what  their  father  said. 

Now  they  rode  to  Lithend ;  Gunnar  was  at  home,  and 
went  out,  and  Kolskegg  and  Hjort  went  with  him,  and  they 
gave  them  a  hearty  welcome,  and  asked  whither  they  meant 
to  go  ? 

"No  farther  than  hither,"  they  say.  "We  are  told  that 
thou  hast  a  good  horse,  and  we  wish  to  challenge  thee  to 
a  horse-fight." 

"Small  stories  can  go  about  my  horse,"  says  Gunnar ;  "he 
is  young  and  untried  in  every  way." 

"  But  still  thou  wilt  be  good  enough  to  have  the  fight,  for 
Hildigunna  guessed  that  thou  wouldst  be  easy  in  matching  thy 
horse." 

"  How  came  ye  to  talk  about  that  ?  "  says  Gunnar. 

"There  were  some  men,"  say  they,  "who  were  sure  that 
no  one  would  dare  to  fight  his  horse  with  ours." 

"I  would  dare  to  fight  him,"  says  Gunnar  ;  "  but  I  think  that 
was  spitefully  said." 

"  Shall  we  look  upon  the  match  as  made,  then  ? "  they 
asked. 

"Well,  your  journey  will  seem  to  you  better  if  ye  have 
your  way  in  this ;  but  still  I  will  beg  this  of  you,  that  we  so 
fight  our  horses  that  we  make  sport  for  each  other,  but  that  no 
quarrel  may  arise  from  it,  and  that  ye  put  no  shame  upon  me  ; 
but  if  ye  do  to  me  as  ye  do  to  others,  then  there  will  be  no  help 
for  it  but  that  I  shall  give  you  such  a  buffet  as  it  will  seem 
hard  to  you  to  put  up  with.  In  a  word,  I  shall  do  then  just 
as  ye  do  first." 

Then  they  ride  home.    Starkad  asked  how  their  journey 


106    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


had  gone  off;  they  said  that  Gunnar  had  made  their  going 
good. 

"  He  gave  his  word  to  fight  his  horse,  and  we  settled  when 
and  where  the  horse-fight  should  be  ;  but  it  was  plain  in  every- 
thing that  he  thought  he  fell  short  of  us,  and  he  begged  and 
prayed  to  get  off." 

"  It  will  often  be  found/'  says  Hildigunna,  "  that  Gunnar 
is  slow  to  be  drawn  into  quarrels,  but  a  hard  hitter  if  he  cannot 
avoid  them." 

Gunnar  rode  to  see  Njal,  and  told  him  of  the  horse-fight, 
and  what  words  had  passed  between  them,  "But  how  dost 
thou  think  the  horse-fight  will  turn  out  ?  " 

"Thou  wilt  be  uppermost,"  says  Njal,  "but  yet  many  a 
man's  bane  will  arise  out  of  this  fight." 

"  Will  my  bane  perhaps  come  out  of  it  ?  "  asks  Gunnar. 

"Not  out  of  this,"  says  Njal ;  "but  still  they  will  bear  in 
mind  both  the  old  and  the  new  feud  who  fare  against  thee, 
and  thou  wilt  have  naught  left  for  it  but  to  yield." 

Then  Gunnar  rode  home. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

HOW  GUNNAR' S  HORSE  FOUGHT. 

Just  then  Gunnar  heard  of  the  death  of  his  father-in-law 
Hauskuld ;  a  few  nights  after,  Thorgerda,  Thrain's  wife,  was 
delivered  at  Gritwater,  and  gave  birth  to  a  boy  child.  Then 
she  sent  a  man  to  her  mother,  and  bade  her  choose  whether  it 
should  be  called  Glum  or  Hauskuld.  She  bade  call  it  Haus- 
kuld.   So  that  name  was  given  to  the  boy. 

Gunnar  and  Hallgerda  had  two  sons,  the  one's  name  was 
Hogni  and  the  other's  Grani.  Hogni  was  a  brave  man  of  few 
words,  distrustful  and  slow  to  believe,  but  truthful. 

Now  men  ride  to  the  horsefight,  and  a  very  great  crowd  is 
gathered  together  there.  Gunnar  was  there  and  his  brothers, 
and  the  sons  of  Sigfus.  Njal  and  all  his  sons.  There  too  was 
come  Starkad  and  his  sons,  and  Egil  and  his  sons,  and  they 
said  to  Gunnar  that  now  they  would  lead  the  horses  together. 

Gunnar  said,  "That  was  well". 

Skarphedinn  said,  "  Wilt  thou  that  I  drive  thy  horse,  kins- 
man Gunnar  ? " 


HOW  GUNNARS  HORSE  FOUGHT.  107 


iC  I  will  not  have  that/'  says  Gunnar. 

u  It  wouldn't  be  amiss  though/'  says  Skarphedinn ;  "  we 
are  hot-headed  on  both  sides." 

"  Ye  would  say  or  do  little/'  says  Gunnar,  "before  a  quarrel 
would  spring  up ;  but  with  me  it  will  take  longer,  though  it 
will  be  all  the  same  in  the  end." 

After  that  the  horses  were  led  together ;  Gunnar  busked 
him  to  drive  his  horse,  but  Skarphedinn  led  him  out.  Gunnar 
was  in  a  red  kirtle,  and  had  about  his  loins  a  broad  belt,  and  a 
great  riding-rod  in  his  hand. 

Then  the  horses  run  at  one  another,  and  bit  each  other 
long,  so  that  there  was  no  need  for  any  one  to  touch  them,  and 
that  was  the  greatest  sport. 

Then  Thorgeir  and  Kol  made  up  their  minds  that  they 
would  push  their  horse  forward  just  as  the  horses  rushed 
together,  and  see  if  Gunnar  would  fall  before  him. 

Now  the  horses  ran  at  one  another  again,  and  both  Thorgeir 
and  Kol  ran  alongside  their  horse's  flank. 

Gunnar  pushes  his  horse  against  them,  and  what  happened 
in  a  trice  was  this,  that  Thorgeir  and  his  brother  fall  down  flat 
on  their  backs,  and  their  horse  a-top  of  them. 

Then  they  spring  up  and  rush  at  Gunnar.  Gunnar  swings 
himself  free  and  seizes  Kol,  casts  him  down  on  the  field,  so  that 
he  lies  senseless.  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  smote  Gunnar's 
horse  such  a  blow  that  one  of  his  eyes  started  out.  Gunnar 
smote  Thorgeir  with  his  riding-rod,  and  down  falls  Thorgeir 
senseless ;  but  Gunnar  goes  to  his  horse,  and  said  to  Kolskegg, 
"  Cut  off  the  horse's  head ;  he  shall  not  live  a  maimed  and 
blemished  beast ". 

So  Kolskegg  cut  the  head  off  the  horse. 

Then  Thorgeir  got  on  his  feet  and  took  his  weapons,  and 
wanted  to  fly  at  Gunnar,  but  that  was  stopped,  and  there  was 
a  great  throng  and  crush. 

Skarphedinn  said,  "This  crowd  wearies  me,  and  it  is  far 
more  manly  that  men  should  fight  it  out  with  weapons  ;  and 
so  he  sang  a  song, — 

At  the  Thing  there  is  a  throng ; 
Past  all  bounds  the  crowding  comes  ; 
Hard  'twill  be  to  patch  up  peace 
'Twixt  the  men  :  this  wearies  me  ; 
Worthier  is  it  far  for  men 
Weapons  red  with  gore  to  stain  ; 
I  for  one  would  sooner  tame 
Hunger  huge  of  cub  of  wolf. 


108    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Gunnar  was  still,  so  that  one  man  held  him,  and  spoke  no 
ill  words. 

Njal  tried  to  bring  about  a  settlement,  or  to  get  pledges  of 
peace ;  but  Thorgeir  said  he  would  neither  give  nor  take 
peace  ;  far  rather,  he  said,  would  he  see  Gunnar  dead  for  the 
blow. 

Kolskegg  said,  "Gunnar  has  before  now  stood  too  fast 
than  that  he  should  have  fallen  for  words  alone,  and  so  it  will 
be  again". 

Now  men  ride  away  from  the  horse-field,  every  one  to  his 
home.  They  make  no  attack  on  Gunnar,  and  so  that  half-year 
passed  away.  At  the  Thing,  the  summer  after,  Gunnar  met 
Olaf  the  peacock,  his  cousin,  and  he  asked  him  to  come  and 
see  him,  but  yet  bade  him  beware  of  himself ;  "  For,"  says  he, 
"  they  will  do  us  all  the  harm  they  can,  and  mind  and  fare 
always  with  many  men  at  thy  back 

He  gave  him  much  good  counsel  beside,  and  they  agreed 
that  there  should  be  the  greatest  friendship  between  them. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

OF  ASGRIM  AND  WOLF  UGGIS'  SON. 

Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  had  a  suit  to  follow  up  at  the  Thing 
against  Wolf  Uggis'  son.  It  was  a  matter  of  inheritance. 
Asgrim  took  it  up  in  such  a  way  as  was  seldom  his  wont ;  for 
there  was  a  bar  to  his  suit,  and  the  bar  was  this,  that  he  had 
summoned  five  neighbours  to  bear  witness,  when  he  ought  to 
have  summoned  nine.  And  now  they  have  this  as  their 
bar. 

Then  Gunnar  spoke  and  said,  "  I  will  challenge  thee  to 
single  combat  on  the  island,  Wolf  Uggis'  son,  if  men  are  not 
to  get  their  rights  by  law  ;  and  Njal  and  my  friend  Helgi 
would  like  that  I  should  take  some  share  in  defending  thy 
cause,  Asgrim,  if  they  were  not  here  themselves." 

"  But,"  says  Wolf,  "  this  quarrel  is  not  one  between  thee 
and  me." 

"  Still  it  shall  be  as  good  as  though  it  were,"  says  Gunnar. 
And  the  end  of  the  suit  was,  that  Wolf  had  to  pay  down 
all  the  money. 


AN  ATTACK  AGAINST  GUNNAR  109 


Then  Asgrim  said  to  Gunnar,  "  I  will  ask  thee  to  come 
and  see  me  this  summer,  and  I  will  ever  be  with  thee  in  law- 
suits, and  never  against  thee 

Gunnar  rides  home  from  the  Thing,  and  a  little  while  after, 
he  and  Njal  met.  Njal  besought  Gunnar  to  be  ware  of  him- 
self, and  said  he  had  been  told  that  those  away  under  the 
Threecorner  meant  to  fall  on  him,  and  bade  him  never  go 
about  with  a  small  company,  and  always  to  have  his  weapons 
with  him.  Gunnar  said  so  it  should  be,  and  told  him  that 
Asgrim  had  asked  him  to  pay  him  a  visit,  "and  I  mean  to  go 
now  this  harvest.'' 

"  Let  no  men  know  before  thou  farest  how  long  thou  wilt 
be  away/'  said  Njal ;  "  but,  besides,  I  beg  thee  to  let  my  sons 
ride  with  thee,  and  then  no  attack  will  be  made  on  thee." 

So  they  settled  that  among  themselves. 

u  Now  the  summer  wears  away  till  it  was  eight  weeks  to 
winter,  and  then  Gunnar  says  to  Kolskegg,  "  Make  thee  ready 
to  ride,  for  we  shall  ride  to  a  feast  at  Tongue 

"  Shall  we  say  anything  about  it  to  Njal's  sons  ? "  said 
Kolskegg. 

"  No,"  says  Gunnar ;  "  they  shall  fall  into  no  quarrels  for 
me." 


CHAPTER  LX. 

AN  ATTACK  AGAINST  GUNNAR  AGREED  ON. 

They  rode  three  together,  Gunnar  and  his  brothers.  Gunnar 
had  the  bill  and  his  sword,  Oliver's  gift ;  but  Kolskegg  had 
his  short  sword  ;  Hjort,  too,  had  proper  weapons. 

Now  they  rode  to  Tongue,  and  Asgrim  gave  them  a  hearty 
welcome,  and  they  were  there  some  while.  At  last  they  gave 
it  out  that  they  meant  to  go  home  there  and  then.  Asgrim 
gave  them  good  gifts,  and  offered  to  ride  east  with  them,  but 
Gunnar  said  there  was  no  need  of  any  such  thing ;  and  so  he 
did  not  go. 

Sigurd  Swinehead  was  the  name  of  a  man  who  dwelt  by 
Thurso  water.  He  came  to  the  farm  under  the  Threecorner, 
for  he  had  given  his  word  to  keep  watch  on  Gunnar  s  doings, 
and  so  he  went  and  told  them  of  his  journey  home;  "and," 


110    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


quoth  he,  "  there  could  never  be  a  finer  chance  than  just  now, 
when  he  has  only  two  men  with  him 

"  How  many  men  shall  we  need  to  have  to  lie  in  wait  for 
him  ?  "  says  Starkad. 

"  Weak  men  shall  be  as  nothing  before  him/'  he  says  ;  u  and 
it  is  not  safe  to  have  fewer  than  thirty  men." 

"  Where  shall  we  lie  in  wait  ?  " 

"  By  Knafahills,"  he  says  ;  "  there  he  will  not  see  us  before 
he  comes  on  us." 

"Go  thou  to  Sandgil  and  tell  Egil  that  fifteen  of  them 
must  busk  themselves  thence,  and  now  other  fifteen  will  go 
hence  to  Knafahills." 

Thorgeir  said  to  Hildigunna,  "  This  hand  shall  show  thee 
Gunnar  dead  this  very  night 

"  Nay,  but  I  guess,"  says  she,  "  that  thou  wilt  hang  thy 
head  after  ye  two  meet." 

So  those  four,  father  and  sons,  fare  away  from  the  Three- 
corner,  and  eleven  men  besides,  and  they  fared  to  Knafahills, 
and  lay  in  wait  there. 

Sigurd  Swinehead  came  to  Sandgil  and  said,  "  Hither  am 
I  sent  by  Starkad  and  his  sons  to  tell  thee,  Egil,  that  ye, 
father  and  sons,  must  fare  to  Knafahills  to  lie  in  wait  for 
Gunnar 

"  How  many  shall  we  fare  in  all  ?  "  says  Egil. 
"  Fifteen,  reckoning  me,"  he  says. 

Kol  said,  "Now  I  mean  to  try  my  hand  on  Kolskegg". 

"Then  I  think  thou  meanest  to  have  a  good  deal  on  thy 
hands,"  says  Sigurd. 

Egil  begged  his  Easterlings  to  fare  with  them.  They 
said  they  had  no  quarrel  with  Gunnar ;  "  and  besides,"  says 
Thorir,  "ye  seem  to  need  much  help  here,  when  a  crowd  of 
men  shall  go  against  three  men  ". 

Then  Egil  went  away  and  was  wroth. 

Then  the  mistress  of  the  house  said  to  the  Easterling : 
"  In  an  evil  hour  hath  my  daughter  Gudruna  humbled  herself, 
and  broken  the  point  of  her  maidenly  pride,  and  lain  by  thy 
side  as  thy  wife,  when  thou  wilt  not  dare  to  follow  thy  father- 
in-law,  and  thou  must  be  a  coward,"  she  says. 

"  I  will  go,"  he  says,  "  with  thy  husband,  and  neither  of 
us  two  shall  come  back." 

After  that  he  went  to  Thorgrim  his  messmate,  and  said, 
"  Take  thou  now  the  keys  of  my  chests ;  for  I  shall  never 
unlock  them  again.    I  bid  thee  take  for  thine  own  whatever 


GUNNAR'S  DREAM.  Ill 


of  our  goods  thou  wilt ;  but  sail  away  from  Iceland,  and  do 
not  think  of  revenge  for  me.  But  if  thou  dost  not  leave  the 
land,  it  will  be  thy  death." 

So  the  Easterling  joined  himself  to  their  band. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

GUNNAR'S  DREAM. 

Now  we  must  go  back  and  say  that  Gunnar  rides  east  over 
Thurso  water,  but  when  he  had  gone  a  little  way  from  the 
river  he  grew  very  drowsy,  and  bade  them  lie  down  and  rest 
there. 

They  did  so.  He  fell  fast  asleep,  and  struggled  much  as 
he  slumbered. 

Then  Kolskegg  said,  "Gunnar  dreams  now".  But  Hjort 
said,  "  I  would  like  to  wake  him 

"That  shall  not  be,"  said  Kolskegg,  "but  he  shall  dream 
his  dream  out  ". 

Gunnar  lay  a  very  long  while,  and  threw  off  his  shield 
from  him,  and  he  grew  very  warm.  Kolskegg  said,  "What 
hast  thou  dreamt,  kinsman  ?  " 

"That  have  I  dreamt,"  says  Gunnar,  "which  if  I  had 
dreamt  it  there  I  would  never  have  ridden  with  so  few  men 
from  Tongue." 

"  Tell  us  thy  dream,"  says  Kolskegg. 

Then  Gunnar  sang  a  song. 

Chief,  that  chargest  foes  in  fight ! 

Now  I  fear  that  I  have  ridden 

Short  of  men  from  Tongue,  this  harvest ; 

Raven's  fast  I  sure  shall  break. 

Lord,  that  scatters  Ocean's  fire  !  * 

This,  at  least,  I  long  to  say, 

Kite  with  wolf  shall  fight  for  marrow, 

111  I  dreamt  with  wandering  thought. 

"  I  dreamt,  methought,  that  I  was  riding  on  by  Knafahills, 
and  there  I  thought  I  saw  many  wolves,  and  they  all  made  at 
me ;  but  I  turned  away  from  them  straight  towards  Rangriver, 
and  then  methought  they  pressed  hard  on  me  on  all  sides, 

*"  Ocean's  fire,"  a  periphrasis  for  "gold".  The  whole  line  is  a  peri- 
phrasis for  "bountiful  chief". 


112    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


but  I  kept  them  at  bay,  and  shot  all  those  that  were  foremost, 
till  they  came  so  close  to  me  that  I  could  not  use  my  bow 
against  them.  Then  I  took  my  sword,  and  I  smote  with  it 
with  one  hand,  but  thrust  at  them  with  my  bill  with  the 
other.  Shield  myself  then  I  did  not,  and  methought  then  I 
knew  not  what  shielded  me.  Then  I  slew  many  wolves,  and 
thou,  too,  Kolskegg ;  but  Hjort  methought  they  pulled  down, 
and  tore  open  his  breast,  and  one  methought  had  his  heart  in 
his  maw ;  but  I  grew  so  wroth  that  I  hewed  that  wolf  asunder 
just  below  the  brisket,  and  after  that  methought  the  wolves 
turned  and  fled.  Now  my  counsel  is,  brother  Hjort,  that 
thou  ridest  back  west  to  Tongue." 

"I  will  not  do  that/'  says  Njort ;  "though  I  know  my 
death  is  sure,  I  will  stand  by  thee  still." 

Then  they  rode  and  came  east  by  Knafahills,  and  Kols- 
kegg said — 

"  Seest  thou,  kinsman  !  many  spears  stand  up  by  the  hills, 
and  men  with  weapons." 

"  It  does  not  take  me  unawares,"  says  Gunnar,  "  that  my 
dream  comes  true." 

u  What  is  best  to  be  done  now  ?  "  says  Kolskegg  ;  "  I  guess 
thou  wilt  not  run  away  from  them." 

"They  shall  not  have  that  to  jeer  about,"  says  Gunnar, 
"  but  we  will  ride  on  down  to  the  ness  by  Rangriver ;  there 
is  some  vantage  ground  there." 

Now  they  rode  on  to  the  ness,  and  made  them  ready  there, 
and  as  they  rode  on  past  them  Kol  called  out  and  said — 

"  Whither  art  thou  running  to  now,  Gunnar  ?  " 

But  Kolskegg  said,  "Say  the  same  thing  farther  on  when 
this  day  has  come  to  an  end  ". 


CHAPTER  LXII. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  HJORT  AND  FOURTEEN  MEN. 

After  that  Starkad  egged  on  his  men,  and  then  they  turn 
down  upon  them  into  the  ness.  Sigurd  Swinehead  came  first 
and  had  a  red  targe,  but  in  his  other  hand  he  held  a  cutlass. 
Gunnar  sees  him  and  shoots  an  arrow  at  him  from  his  bow ; 
he  held  the  shield  up  aloft  when  he  saw  the  arrow  flying  high, 


THE  SLAYING  OF  HJORT.  113 


and  the  shaft  passes  through  the  shield  and  into  his  eye,  and 
so  came  out  at  the  nape  of  his  neck,  and  that  was  the  first 
man  slain. 

A  second  arrow  Gunnar  shot  at  Ulfhedinn,  one  of  Starkad's 
men,  and  that  struck  him  about  the  middle  and  he  fell  at  the 
feet  of  a  yeoman,  and  the  yeoman  over  him.  Kolskegg  cast 
a  stone  and  struck  the  yeoman  on  the  head,  and  that  was  his 
deathblow. 

Then  Starkad  said,  "'Twill  never  answer  our  end  that 
he  should  use  his  bow,  but  let  us  come  on  well  and  stoutly 
Then  each  man  egged  on  the  other,  and  Gunnar  guarded 
himself  with  his  bow  and  arrows  as  long  as  he  could ;  after 
that  he  throws  them  down,  and  then  he  takes  his  bill  and 
sword  and  fights  with  both  hands.  There  is  long  the  hardest 
fight,  but  still  Gunnar  and  Kolskegg  slew  man  after  man. 

Then  Thorgeir  Starkad' s  son  said,  "  I  vowed  to  bring 
Hildigunna  thy  head,  Gunnar." 

Then  Gunnar  sang  a  song — 

Thou,  that  battle-sleet  down  bringeth, 
Scarce  I  trow  thou  speakest  truth  ; 
She,  the  girl  with  golden  armlets, 
Cannot  care  for  such  a  gift ; 
But,  O  serpent's  hoard  despoiler  ! 
If  the  maid  must  have  my  head — 
Maid  whose  wrist  Rhine's  fire  *wreatheth, 
Closer  come  to  crash  of  spear. 

"She  will  not  think  that  so  much  worth  having,"  says 
Gunnar ;  "but  still  to  get  it  thou  wilt  have  to  come  nearer ! " 
Thorgeir  said  to  his  brothers — 

"  Let  us  run  all  of  us  upon  him  at  once  ;  he  has  no  shield 
and  we  shall  have  his  life  in  our  hands." 

So  Bork  and  Thorkel  both  ran  forward  and  were  quicker 
than  Thorgeir.  Bork  made  a  blow  at  Gunnar,  and  Gunnar 
threw  his  bill  so  hard  in  the  way  that  the  sword  flew  out  of 
Bork's  hand ;  then  he  sees  Thorkel  standing  on  his  other 
hand  within  stroke  of  sword.  Gunnar  was  standing  with  his 
body  swayed  a  little  on  one  side,  and  he  makes  a  sweep  with 
his  sword,  and  caught  Thorkel  on  the  neck,  and  off  flew  his 
head. 

Kol  Egil's  son  said,  "Let  me  get  at  Kolskegg,"  and 
turning  to  Kolskegg  he  said,  "This  I  have  often  said,  that 
we  two  would  be  just  about  an  even  match  in  fight  ". 

*  "  Rhine's  fire,"  a  periphrasis  for  gold. 
8 


114   THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  That  we  can  soon  prove/'  says  Kolskegg. 

Kol  thrust  at  him  with  his  spear ;  Kolskegg  had  just  slain 
a  man  and  had  his  hands  full,  and  so  he  could  not  throw  his 
shield  before  the  blow,  and  the  thrust  came  upon  his  thigh, 
on  the  outside  of  the  limb  and  went  through  it. 

Kolskegg  turned  sharp  round,  and  strode  towards  him, 
and  smote  him  with  his  short  sword  on  the  thigh,  and  cut  off 
his  leg,  and  said,  "  Did  it  touch  thee  or  not  ?  " 

"Now,"  says  Kol,  "I  pay  for  being  bare  of  my  shield." 

So  he  stood  a  while  on  his  other  leg  and  looked  at  the 
stump. 

"  Thou  needest  not  to  look  at  it,"  said  Kolskegg ;  "  'tis 
even  as  thou  seest,  the  leg  is  off." 
Then  Kol  fell  down  dead. 

But  when  Egil  sees  this,  he  runs  at  Gunnar  and  makes  a 
cut  at  him ;  Gunnar  thrusts  at  him  with  the  bill  and  struck 
him  in  the  middle,  and  Gunnar  hoists  him  up  on  the  bill  and 
hurls  him  out  into  Rangriver. 

Then  Starkad  said,  "Wretch  that  thou  art  indeed,  Thorir 
Easterling,  when  thou  sittest  by ;  but  thy  host  and  father- 
in-law  Egil  is  slain." 

Then  the  Easterling  sprung  up  and  was  very  wroth. 
Hjort  had  been  the  death  of  two  men,  and  the  Easterling 
leapt  on  him  and  smote  him  full  on  the  breast.  Then  Hjort 
fell  down  dead  on  the  spot. 

Gunnar  sees  this  and  was  swift  to  smite  at  the  Easterling, 
and  cuts  him  asunder  at  the  waist. 

A  little  while  after  Gunnar  hurls  the  bill  at  Bork,  and 
struck  him  in  the  middle,  and  the  bill  went  through  him  and 
stuck  in  the  ground. 

Then  Kolskegg  cut  off  Hauk  Egil's  son's  bead,  and  Gunnar 
smites  off  Otter's  hand  at  the  elbow  joint.   Then  Starkad  said — 

"Let  us  fly  now.    We  have  not  to  do  with  men  !  " 

Gunnar  said,  "  Ye  two  will  think  it  a  sad  story  if  there  is 
naught  on  you  to  show  that  ye  have  both  been  in  the  battle  ". 

Then  Gunnar  ran  after  Starkad  and  Thorgeir,  and  gave 
them  each  a  wound.  After  that  they  parted  ;  and  Gunnar 
and  his  brothers  had  then  wounded  many  men  who  got  away 
from  the  field,  but  fourteen  lost  their  lives,  and  Hjort  the 
fifteenth. 

Gunnar  brought  Hjort  home,  laid  out  on  his  shield,  and  he 
was  buried  in  a  cairn  there.  Many  men  grieved  for  him,  for 
he  had  many  dear  friends. 


NJAL'S  COUNSEL  TO  GUNNAR.  115 

Starkad  came  home,  too,  and  Hildigunna  dressed  his 
wounds  and  Thorgeirs,  and  said,  "Ye  would  have  given  a 
great  deal  not  to  have  fallen  out  with  Gunnar". 

"  So  we  would/'  says  Starkad. 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 

NJAL'S  COUNSEL  TO  GUNNAR. 

Steinvor,  at  Sandgil,  besought  Thorgrim  the  Easterling  to 
take  in  hand  the  care  of  her  goods,  and  not  to  sail  away  from 
Iceland,  and  so  to  keep  in  mind  the  death  of  his  messmate 
and  kinsman. 

"  My  messmate  Thorir,"  said  he,  "  foretold  that  I  should 
fall  by  Gunnar' s  hand  if  I  stayed  here  in  the  land,  and  he 
must  have  foreseen  that  when  he  foreknew  his  own  death." 

"  I  will  give  thee,"  she  says,  "  Gudruna  my  daughter  to 
wife,  and  all  my  goods  into  the  bargain." 

"  I  knew  not,"  he  said,  "  that  thou  wouldest  pay  such  a 
long  price." 

After  that  they  struck  the  bargain  that  he  shall  have  her, 
and  the  wedding  feast  was  to  be  the  next  summer. 

Now  Gunnar  rides  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Kolskegg  with 
him.  Njal  was  out  of  doors  and  his  sons,  and  they  went  to 
meet  Gunnar  and  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome.  After  that 
they  fell  a-talking,  and  Gunnar  said — 

"  Hither  am  I  come  to  seek  good  counsel  and  help  at  thy 
hand." 

"  That  is  thy  due,"  said  Njal. 

"I  have  fallen  into  a  great  strait,"  says  Gunnar,  "and 
slain  many  men,  and  I  wish  to  know  what  thou  wilt  make  of 
the  matter  ?  " 

"  Many  will  say  this,"  said  Njal,  "  that  thou  hast  been 
driven  into  it  much  against  thy  will  ;  but  now  thou  shalt 
give  ir  3  time  to  take  counsel  with  myself." 

Then  Njal  went  away  all  by  himself,  and  thought  over 
a  plan,  and  came  back  and  said — 

"  Now  have  I  thought  over  the  matter  somewhat,  and 
it  seems  to  me  as  though  this  must  be  carried  through — if 
it  be  carried  through  at  all — with  hardihood  and  daring. 


116    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Thorgeir  has  got  my  kinswoman  Thorfinna  with  child,  and 
I  will  hand  over  to  thee  the  suit  for  seduction.  Another 
suit  of  outlawry  against  Starkad  I  hand  over  also  to  thee,  for 
having  hewn  trees  in  my  wood  on  the  Threecorner  ridge. 
Both  these  suits  shalt  thou  take  up.  Thou  shalt  fare  too 
to  the  spot  where  ye  fought,  and  dig  up  the  dead,  and  name 
witnesses  to  the  wounds,  and  make  all  the  dead  outlaws,  for 
that  they  came  against  thee  with  that  mind  to  give  thee  and 
thy  brothers  wounds  or  swift  death.  But  if  this  be  tried  at 
the  Thing,  and  it  be  brought  up  against  thee  that  thou  first 
gave  Thorgeir  a  blow,  and  so  mayest  neither  plead  thine  own 
cause  nor  that  of  others,  then  I  will  answer  in  that  matter, 
and  say  that  1  gave  thee  back  thy  rights  at  the  Thingskala- 
Thing,  so  that  thou  shouldest  be  able  to  plead  thine  own 
suit  as  well  as  that  of  others,  and  then  there  will  be  an 
answer  to  that  point.  Thou  shalt  also  go  to  see  Tyrfing  of 
Berianess,  and  he  must  hand  over  to  thee  a  suit  against 
Aunund  of  Witchwood,  who  has  the  blood  feud  after  his 
brother  Egil." 

Then  first  of  all  Gunnar  rode  home  ;  but  a  few  nights 
after  Njal's  sons  and  Gunnar  rode  thither  where  the  bodies 
were,  and  dug  them  up  that  were  buried  there.  Then  Gunnar 
summoned  them  all  as  outlaws  for  assault  and  treachery,  and 
rode  home  after  that. 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 

OF  VALGARD  AND  MORD. 

That  same  harvest  Valgard  the  guileful  came  out  to  Iceland, 
and  fared  home  to  Hof.  Then  Thorgeir  went  to  see  Valgard 
and  Mord,  and  told  them  what  a  strait  they  were  in  if  Gunnar 
were  to  be  allowed  to  make  all  those  men  outlaws  whom  he 
had  slain. 

Valgard  said  that  must  be  Njal's  counsel,  and  yet  every 
thing  had  not  come  out  yet  which  he  was  likely  to  have  taught 
him. 

Then  Thorgeir  begged  those  kinsmen  for  help  and  back- 
ing, but  they  held  out  a  long  while,  and  at  last  asked  for  and 
got  a  large  sum  of  money. 


OF  VALGARD  AND  MORD.  117 


That,  too,  was  part  of  their  plan,  that  Mord  should  ask  for 
Thorkatla,  Gizur  the  white's  daughter,  and  Thorgeir  was  to 
ride  at  once  west  across  the  river  with  Valgard  and  Mord. 

So  the  day  after  they  rode  twelve  of  them  together  and 
came  to  Mossfell.  There  they  were  heartily  welcomed,  and 
they  put  the  question  to  Gizur  about  the  wooing,  and  the 
end  of  it  was  that  the  match  should  be  made,  and  the  wed- 
ding feast  was  to  be  in  half  a  month's  space  at  Mossfell. 

They  ride  home,  and  after  that  they  ride  to  the  wedding, 
and  there  was  a  crowd  of  guests  to  meet  them,  and  it  went 
off  well.  Thorkatla  went  home  with  Mord  and  took  the 
housekeeping  in  hand  but  Valgard  went  abroad  again  the 
next  summer, 

Now  Mord  eggs  on  Thorgeir  to  set  his  suit  on  foot  against 
Gunnar,  and  Thorgeir  went  to  find  Aunund  ;  he  bids  him  now 
to  begin  a  suit  for  manslaughter  for  his  brother  Egil  and  his 
sons  ;  "  but  I  will  begin  one  for  the  manslaughter  of  my 
brothers,  and  for  the  wounds  of  myself  and  my  father". 

He  said  he  was  quite  ready  to  do  that,  and  then  they  set 
out,  and  give  notice  of  the  manslaughter,  and  summon  nine 
neighbours  who  dwelt  nearest  to  the  spot  where  the  deed  was 
done.  This  beginning  of  the  suit  was  heard  of  at  Lithend  ; 
and  then  Gunnar  rides  to  see  Njal,  and  told  him,  and  asked 
what  he  wished  them  to  do  next. 

"  Now,"  says  Njal,  "  thou  shalt  summon  those  who  dwell 
next  to  the  spot,  and  thy  neighbours ;  and  call  men  to  witness 
before  the  neighbours,  and  choose  out  Kol  as  the  slayer  in  the 
manslaughter  of  Hjort  thy  brother  :  for  that  is  lawful  and 
right ;  then  thou  shalt  give  notice  of  the  suit  for  manslaughter 
at  Kol's  hand,  though  he  be  dead.  Then  shalt  thou  call  men 
to  witness,  and  summon  the  neighbours  to  ride  to  the  Althing 
to  bear  witness  of  the  fact,  whether  they,  Kol  and  his  com- 
panions, were  on  the  spot,  and  in  onslaught  when  Hjort  was 
slain.  Thou  shalt  also  summon  Thorgeir  for  the  suit  of  seduc- 
tion, and  Aunund  at  the  suit  of  Tyrfing." 

Gunnar  now  did  in  everything  as  Njal  gave  him  counsel. 
This  men  thought  a  strange  beginning  of  suits,  and  now  these 
matters  come  before  the  Thing.  Gunnar  rides  to  the  Thing, 
and  Njal's  sons  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus.  Gunnar  had  sent 
messengers  to  his  cousins  and  kinsmen,  that  they  should  ride 
to  the  Thing,  and  come  with  as  many  men  as  they  could,  and 
told  them  that  this  matter  would  lead  to  much  strife.  So 
they  gathered  together  in  a  great  band  from  the  west. 


118    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Mord  rode  to  the  Thing  and  Runolf  of  the  Dale,  and 
those  under  the  Threecorner,  and  Aunund  of  Witchwood. 
But  when  they  come  to  the  Thing,  they  join  them  in  one 
company  with  Gizur  the  white  and  Geir  the  priest. 


it 


CHAPTER  LXV. 

OF  FINES  AND  ATONEMENTS. 


Gunnar,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  Njal's  sons,  went  alto- 
gether in  one  band,  and  they  marched  so  swiftly  and  closely 
that  men  who  came  in  their  way  had  to  take  heed  lest  they 
should  get  a  fall  ;  and  nothing  was  so  often  spoken  about 
over  the  whole  Thing  as  these  great  lawsuits. 

Gunnar  went  to  meet  his  cousins,  and  Olaf  and  his  men 
greeted  him  well.  They  asked  Gunnar  about  the  fight,  but 
he  told  them  all  about  it,  and  was  just  in  all  he  said  ;  he  told 
them,  too,  what  steps  he  had  taken  since. 

Then  Olaf  said,  "  'Tis  worth  much  to  see  how  close  Njal 
stands  by  thee  in  all  counsel ". 

Gunnar  said  he  should  never  be  able  to  repay  that,  but 
then  he  begged  them  for  help  ;  and  they  said  that  was  his  due. 

Now  the  suits  on  both  sides  came  before  the  court,  and 
each  pleads  his  cause. 

Mord  asked — "How  it  was  that  a  man  could  have  the 
right  to  set  a  suit  on  foot  who,  like  Gunnar,  had  already  made 
himself  an  outlaw  by  striking  Thorgeir  a  blow  ?  " 

"Wast  thou/'  answered  Njal,  "at  Thingskala-Thing  last 
autumn  ?  " 

"Surely  I  was/'  says  Mord. 

"  Heardest  thou,"  asks  Njal,  "  how  Gunnar  offered  him  full 
atonement  ?  Then  I  gave  back  Gunnar  his  right  to  do  all 
lawful  deeds/ ' 

"  That  is  right  and  good  law,"  says  Mord,  "  but  how  does 
the  matter  stand  if  Gunnar  has  laid  the  slaying  of  Hjort  at 
Kol's  door,  when  it  was  the  Easterling  that  slew  him  ?  " 

"That  was  right  and  lawful,"  says  Njal,  "when  he  chose 
him  as  the  slayer  before  witnesses." 

"That  was  lawful  and  right,  no  doubt,"  says  Mord;  "but 
for  what  did  Gunnar  summon  them  all  as  outlaws  ?  " 


OF  FINES  AND  ATONEMENTS.  119 


"  Thou  needest  not  to  ask  about  that,"  says  Njal,  "  when 
they  went  out  to  deal  wounds  and  manslaughter." 

"Yes/*  says  Mord,  "but  neither  befell  Gunnar." 

"  Gunnar  s  brothers,"  said  Njal,  "Kolskegg  and  Hjort, 
were  there,  and  one  of  them  got  his  death  and  the  other  a 
flesh  wound." 

"Thou  speakest  nothing  but  what  is  law,"  says  Mord, 
"though  it  is  hard  to  abide  by  it." 

Then  Hjallti  Skeggis  son  of  Thursodale,  stood  forth  and 
said —  ,  ^ 

"  I  have  had  no  share  in  any  of  your  lawsuits  ;  but  I  wish 
to  know  whether  thou  wilt  do  something,  Gunnar,  for  the  sake 
of  my  words  and  friendship." 

"What  askest  thou  ?  "  says  Gunnar. 

"This,"  he  says,  "that  ye  lay  down  the  whole  suit  to  the 
award  and  judgment  of  good  men  and  true." 

"If  I  do  so,"  said  Gunnar,  "then  thou  shalt  never  be 
against  me,  whatever  men  I  may  have  to  deal  with." 

"  I  will  give  my  word  to  that,"  says  Hjallti. 

After  that  he  tried  his  best  with  Gunnar  s  adversaries,  and 
brought  it  about  that  they  were  all  set  at  one  again.  And 
after  that  each  side  gave  the  other  pledges  of  peace  ;  but  for 
Thorgeirs  wound  came  the  suit  for  seduction,  and  for  the 
hewing  in  the  wood,  Starkad's  wound.  Thorgeirs  brothers 
were  atoned  for  by  half  fines,  but  half  fell  away  for  the  on- 
slaught on  Gunnar.  Egil's  slaying  and  Tyrfing's  lawsuit  were 
set  off  against  each  other.  For  Hjort's  slaying,  the  slaying  of 
Kol  and  of  the  Easterling  were  to  come,  and  as  for  all  the  rest, 
they  were  atoned  for  with  half  fines. 

Njal  was  in  this  award,  and  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son. 

Njal  had  much  money  out  at  interest  with  Starkad,  and  at 
Sandgil  too,  and  he  gave  it  all  to  Gunnar  to  make  up  these 
fines. 

So  many  friends  had  Gunnar  at  the  Thing,  that  he  not 
only  paid  up  there  and  then  all  the  fines  on  the  spot,  but  gave 
besides  gifts  to  many  chiefs  who  had  lent  him  help ;  and  he 
had  the  greatest  honour  from  the  suit ;  and  all  were  agreed  in 
this,  that  no  man  was  his  match  in  all  the  South  Quarter. 

So  Gunnar  rides  home  from  the  Thing  and  sits  there  in 
peace,  but  still  his  adversaries  envied  him  much  for  his  honour. 


120    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  LXVI. 

OF  THORGEIR  OTKELL'S  SON. 

Now  we  must  tell  of  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son ;  he  grew  up  to  be 
a  tall  strong  man,  true-hearted  and  guileless,  but  rather  too 
ready  to  listen  to  fair  words.  He  had  many  friends  among 
the  best  men,  and  was  much  beloved  by  his  kinsmen. 

Once  on  a  time  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  had  been  to  see 
his  kinsman  Mord. 

"I  can  ill  brook,"  he  says,  "that  settlement  of  matters 
which  we  and  Gunnar  had,  but  I  have  bought  thy  help  so  long 
as  we  two  are  above  ground  ;  I  wish  thou  wouldest  think  out 
some  plan  and  lay  it  deep ;  this  is  why  I  say  it  right  out,  be- 
cause I  know  that  thou  art  Gunnar  s  greatest  foe,  and  he  too 
thine.  I  will  much  increase  thine  honour  if  thou  takest  pain% 
in  this  matter/ ' 

"  It  will  always  seem  as  though  I  were  greedy  of  gain,  but 
so  it  must  be.  Yet  it  will  be  hard  to  take  care  that  thou 
mayest  not  seem  to  be  a  truce-breaker,  or  peace-breaker,  and 
yet  carry  out  thy  point.  But  now  I  have  been  told  that  Kol- 
skegg  means  to  try  a  suit,  and  regain  a  forth  part  of  Moeids- 
knoll,  which  was  paid  to  thy  father  as  an  atonement  for  his 
son.  He  has  taken  up  this  suit  for  his  mother,  but  this  too  is 
Gunnar's  counsel,  to  pay  in  goods  and  not  to  let  the  land  go. 
We  must  wait  till  this  comes  about,  and  then  declare  that 
he  has  broken  the  settlement  made  with  you.  He  has  also 
taken  a  cornfield  from  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son,  and  so  broken 
the  settlement  with  him  too.  Thou  shalt  go  to  see  Thorgeir 
Otkell's  son,  and  bring  him  into  the  matter  with  thee,  and 
then  fall  on  Gunnar  ;  but  if  ye  fail  in  aught  of  this,  and  cannot 
get  him  hunted  down,  still  ye  shall  set  on  him  over  and  over 
again.  I  must  tell  thee  that  Njal  has  '  spaed '  his  fortune,  and 
foretold  about  his  life,  if  he  slays  more  than  once  in  the  same 
stock,  that  it  would  lead  him  to  his  death,  if  it  so  fell  out  that 
he  broke  the  settlement  made  after  the  deed.  Therefore  shalt 
thou  bring  Thorgeir  into  the  suit,  because  he  has  already  slain 
his  father ;  and  now,  if  ye  two  are  together  in  an  affray,  thou 
shalt  shield  thyself ;  but  he  will  go  boldly  on,  and  then  Gunnar 
will  slay  him.  Then  he  has  slain  twice  in  the  same  stock,  but 
thou  shalt  fly  from  the  fight.    And  if  this  is  to  drag  him  to 


OF  THORGEIR  STARKAD'S  SON.  121 


his  death  he  will  break  the  settlement  afterwards,  and  so  we 
may  wait  till  then." 

After  that  Thorgeir  goes  home  and  tells  his  father  secretly. 
Then  they  agreed  among  themselves  that  they  should  work 
out  this  plot  by  stealth. 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 

OF  THORGEIR  STARKAD'S  SON. 

Sometime  after  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  fared  to  Kirkby  to  see 
his  namesake,  and  they  went  aside  to  speak,  and  talked  secretly 
all  day  ;  but  at  the  end  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son,  gave  his  name- 
sake a  spear  inlaid  with  gold,  and  rode  home  afterwards  ;  they 
made  the  greatest  friendship  the  one  with  the  other. 

At  the  Thingskala-Thing  in  the  autumn,  Kolskegg  laid 
claim  to  the  land  at  Moeidsknoll,  but  Gunnar  took  witness, 
and  offered  ready  money,  or  another  piece  of  land  at  a  lawful 
price  to  those  under  the  Threecorner. 

Thorgeir  took  witness  also,  that  Gunnar  was  breaking  the 
settlement  made  between  them. 

After  that  the  Thing  was  broken  up,  and  so  the  next  year 
wore  away. 

Those  namesakes  were  always  meeting,  and  there  was  the 
greatest  friendship  between  them.  Kolskegg  spoke  to  Gunnar 
and  said — 

"I  am  told  that  there  is  great  friendship  between  those 
namesakes,  and  it  is  the  talk  of  many  men  that  they  will  prove 
untrue,  and  I  would  that  thou  wouldst  be  ware  of  thyself." 

"  Death  will  come  to  me  when  it  will  come/'  says  Gunnar, 
"wherever  I  may  be,  if  that  is  my  fate." 

Then  they  left  off  talking  about  it. 

About  autumn,  Gunnar  gave  out  that  they  would  work 
one  week  there  at  home,  and  the  next  down  in  the  isles,  and 
so  make  an  end  of  their  hay-making.  At  the  same  time,  he 
let  it  be  known  that  every  man  would  have  to  leave  the  house, 
save  himself  and  the  women. 

Thorgeir  under  Threecorner  goes  to  see  his  namesake,  but 
as  soon  as  they  met  they  began  to  talk  after  their  wont,  and 
Thorgeir  Starkad's  son,  said — 


122    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"I  would  that  we  could  harden  our  hearts  and  fall  on 
Gunnar." 

"Well,"  says  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son,  "  every  struggle  with 
Gunnar  has  had  but  one  end,  that  few  have  gained  the  day  ; 
besides,  methinks  it  sounds  ill  to  be  called  a  peace-breaker/ ' 

"They  have  broken  the  peace,  not  we/'  says  Thorgeir 
Starkad's  son.  "  Gunnar  took  away  from  thee  thy  cornfield  ; 
and  he  has  taken  Moeidsknoll  from  my  father  and  me." 

And  so  they  settle  it  between  them  to  fall  on  Gunnar; 
and  then  Thorgeir  said  that  Gunnar  would  be  all  alone  at 
home  in  a  few  nights'  space,  "  and  then  thou  shalt  come  to  meet 
me  with  eleven  men,  but  I  will  have  as  many  *\ 

After  that  Thorgeir  rode  home. 


CHAPTER  LXVIII. 

OF  NJAL  AND  THOSE  NAMESAKES. 

Now  when  Kolskegg  and  the  house-carles  had  been  three 
nights  in  the  isles,  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  had  news  of  that, 
and  sends  word  to  his  namesake  that  he  should  come  to  meet 
him  on  Threecorner  ridge. 

After  that  Thorgeir  of  the  Threecorner  busked  him  with 
eleven  men ;  he  rides  up  on  the  ridge  and  there  waits  for  his 
namesake. 

And  now  Gunnar  is  at  home  in  his  house,  and  those  name- 
sakes ride  into  a  wood  hard  by.  There  such  a  drowsiness 
came  over  them  that  they  could  do  naught  else  but  sleep. 
So  they  hung  their  shields  up  in  the  boughs,  and  tethered 
their  horses,  and  laid  their  weapons  by  their  sides. 

Njal  was  that  night  up  in  Thorolfsfell,  and  could  not  sleep 
at  all,  but  went  out  and  in  by  turns. 

Thorhilda  asked  Njal  why  he  could  not  sleep  ? 

"  Many  things  now  flit  before  my  eyes,"  said  he  ;  ct  I  see 
many  fetches  of  Gunnar' s  bitter  foes,  and  what  is  very  strange 
is  this,  they  seem  to  be  mad  with  rage,  and  yet  they  fare 
without  plan  or  purpose." 

A  little  after,  a  man  rode  up  to  the  door  and  got  off  his 
horse's  back  and  went  in,  and  there  was  come  the  shepherd 
of  Thorhilda  and  her  husband. 


OF  NJAL  AND  THOSE  NAMESAKES.  123 


u  Didst  thou  find  the  sheep  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  found  what  might  be  more  worth/'  said  he. 

"  What  was  that  ?  "  asked  Njal. 

"  I  found  twenty-four  men  up  in  the  wood  yonder ;  they 
had  tethered  their  horses,  but  slept  themselves.  Their  shields 
they  had  hung  up  in  the  boughs." 

But  so  closely  had  he  looked  at  them  that  he  told  of  all 
their  weapons  and  wargear  and  clothes,  and  then  Njal  knew 
plainly  who  each  of  them  must  have  been,  and  said  to  him — 

"  'Twere  good  hiring  if  there  were  many  such  shepherds  ; 
and  this  shall  ever  stand  to  thy  good  ;  but  still  I  will  send 
thee  on  an  errand." 

He  said  at  once  he  would  go. 

"  Thou  shalt  go,"  says  Njal,  "  to  Lithend  and  tell  Gunnar 
that  he  must  fare  to  Gritwater,  and  then  send  after  men ; 
but  I  will  go  to  meet  with  those  who  are  in  the  wood  and 
scare  them  away.  This  thing  hath  well  come  to  pass,  so  that 
they  shall  gain  nothing  by  this  journey,  but  lose  much." 

The  shepherd  set  off  and  told  Gunnar  as  plainly  as  he 
could  the  whole  story.  Then  Gunnar  rode  to  Gritwater  and 
summoned  men  to  him. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Njal  how  he  rides  to  meet  these 
namesakes. 

"  Unwarily  ye  lie  here,"  he  says,  "  or  for  what  end  shall 
this  journey  have  been  made  ?  And  Gunnar  is  not  a  man 
to  be  trifled  with.  But  if  the  truth  must  be  told  then,  this 
is  the  greatest  treason.  Ye  shall  also  know  this,  that  Gunnar 
is  gathering  force,  and  he  will  come  here  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye,  and  slay  you  all,  unless  ye  ride  away  home." 

They  bestirred  them  at  once,  for  they  were  in  great  fear, 
and  took  their  weapons,  and  mounted  their  horses  and  gal- 
loped home  under  the  Threecorner. 

Njal  fared  to  meet  Gunnar  and  bade  him  not  to  break  up 
his  company. 

"  But  I  will  go  and  seek  for  an  atonement  ;  now  they  will 
be  finely  frightened  ;  but  for  this  treason  no  less  a  sum  shall 
be  paid  when  one  has  to  deal  with  all  of  them,  than  shall  be 
paid  for  the  slaying  of  one  or  other  of  those  namesakes, 
though  such  a  thing  should  come  to  pass.  This  money  I  will 
take  into  my  keeping,  and  so  lay  it  out  that  it  may  be  ready 
to  thy  hand  when  thou  hast  need  of  it." 


124    THE  STORY  OF  BUENT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 

OLAF  THE  PEACOCK'S  GIFTS  TO  GUNNAR. 

Gunnar  thanked  Njal  for  his  aid,  and  Njal  rode  away  under 
the  Threecorner,  and  told  those  namesakes  that  Gunnar 
would  not  break  up  his  band  of  men  before  he  had  fought 
it  out  with  them. 

They  began  to  offer  terms  for  themselves,  and  were  full 
of  dread,  and  bade  Njal  to  come  between  them  with  an  offer 
of  atonement. 

Njal  said  that  could  only  be  if  there  were  no  guile  behind. 
Then  they  begged  him  to  have  a  share  in  the  award,  and  said 
they  would  hold  to  what  he  awarded. 

Njal  said  he  would  make  no  award  unless  it  were  at  the 
Thing,  and  unless  the  best  men  were  by ;  and  they  agreed  to 
that. 

Then  Njal  came  between  them,  so  that  they  gave  each 
other  pledges  of  peace  and  atonement. 

Njal  was  to  utter  the  award,  and  to  name  as  his  fellows 
those  whom  he  chose. 

A  little  while  after  those  namesakes  met  Mord  Valgard's 
son,  and  Mord  blamed  them  much  for  having  laid  the  matter 
in  Njal's  hands,  when  he  was  Gunnar's  great  friend.  He  said 
that  would  turn  out  ill  for  them. 

Now  men  ride  to  the  Althing  after  their  wont,  and  now 
both  sides  are  at  the  Thing. 

Njal  begged  for  a  hearing,  and  asked  all  the  best  men 
who  were  come  thither,  what  right  at  law  they  thought 
Gunnar  had  against  those  namesakes  for  their  treason. 
They  said  they  thought  such  a  man  had  great  right  on  his 
side. 

Njal  went  on  to  ask,  whether  he  had  a  right  of  action 
against  all  of  them,  or  whether  the  leaders  had  to  answer 
for  them  all  in  the  suit  ? 

They  say  that  most  of  the  blame  would  fall  on  the  leaders, 
but  a  great  deal  still  on  them  all. 

"Many  will  say  this/'  said  Mord,  "that  it  was  not  without 
a  cause  when  Gunnar  broke  the  settlement  made  with  those 
namesakes/' 

"That  is  no  breach  of  settlement/'  says  Njal,  "that  any 


OLAF  THE  PEACOCK'S  GIFTS.  125 


man  should  take  the  law  against  another ;  for  with  law  shall 
our  land  be  built  up  and  settled,  and  with  lawlessness  wasted 
and  spoiled." 

Then  Njal  tells  them  that  Gunnar  had  offered  land  for 
Moeidsknoll,  or  other  goods. 

Then  those  namesakes  thought  they  had  been  beguiled 
by  Mord,  and  scolded  him  much,  and  said  that  this  fine  was 
all  his  doing. 

Njal  named  twelve  men  as  judges  in  the  suit,  and  then 
every  man  paid  a  hundred  in  silver  who  had  gone  out,  but 
each  of  those  namesakes  two  hundred. 

Njal  took  this  money  into  his  keeping,  but  either  side 
gave  the  other  pledges  of  peace,  and  Njal  gave  out  the 
terms. 

Then  Gunnar  rode  from  the  Thing  west  to  the  Dales,  till 
he  came  to  Hjardarholt,  and  Olaf  the  peacock  gave  him  a 
hearty  welcome.  There  he  sat  half  a  month,  and  rode  far 
and  wide  about  the  Dales,  and  all  welcomed  him  with  joyful 
hands.    But  at  their  parting  Olaf  said — 

"  I  will  give  thee  three  things  of  price,  a  gold  ring,  and  a 
cloak  which  Moorkjartan  the  Erse  king  owned,  and  a  hound 
that  was  given  me  in  Ireland ;  he  is  big,  and  no  worse  follower 
than  a  sturdy  man.  Besides,  it  is  part  of  his  nature  that  he 
has  man's  wit,  and  he  will  bay  at  every  man  whom  he  knows 
is  thy  foe,  but  never  at  thy  friends  ;  he  can  see,  too,  in  any 
man's  face,  whether  he  means  thee  well  or  ill,  and  he  will 
lay  down  his  life  to  be  true  to  thee.  This  hound's  name 
is  Sam." 

After  that  he  spoke  to  the  hound,  "  Now  shalt  thou  follow 
Gunnar,  and  do  him  all  the  service  thou  canst ". 

The  hound  went  at  once  to  Gunnar  and  laid  himself  down 
at  his  feet. 

Olaf  bade  Gunnar  to  be  ware  of  himself,  and  said  he  had 
many  enviers,  "  For  now  thou  art  thought  to  be  a  famous  man 
throughout  all  the  land  ". 

Gunnar  thanked  him  for  his  gifts  and  good  counsel,  and 
rode  home. 

Now  Gunnar  sits  at  home  for  some  time,  and  all  is  quiet. 


126    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  LXX. 

MORD'S  COUNSEL. 

A  little  after,  those  namesakes  and  Mord  met,  and  they  were 
not  at  all  of  one  mind.  They  thought  they  had  lost  much 
goods  for  Mord's  sake,  but  had  got  nothing  in  return  ;  and 
they  bade  him  set  on  foot  some  other  plot  which  might  do 
Gunnar  harm. 

Mord  said  so  it  should  be.  "  But  now  this  is  my  counsel, 
that  thou,  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  shouldest  beguile  Ormilda, 
Gunnar's  kinswoman ;  but  Gunnar  will  let  his  displeasure 
grow  against  thee  at  that,  and  then  I  will  spread  that  story 
abroad  that  Gunnar  will  not  suffer  thee  to  do  such  things. " 

"Then  ye  two  shall  some  time  after  make  an  attack  on 
Gunnar,  but  still  ye  must  not  seek  him  at  home,  for  there  is 
no  thinking  of  that  while  the  hound  is  alive/' 

So  they  settled  this  plan  among  them  that  it  should  be 
brought  about. 

Thorgeir  began  to  turn  his  steps  towards  Ormilda,  and 
Gunnar  thought  that  ill,  and  great  dislike  arose  between 
them. 

So  the  winter  wore  away.  Now  comes  the  summer,  and 
their  secret  meetings  went  on  oftener  than  before. 

As  for  Thorgeir  of  the  Threecorner  and  Mord,  they  were 
always  meeting ;  and  they  plan  an  onslaught  on  Gunnar, 
when  he  rides  down  to  the  isles  to  see  after  the  work  done 
by  his  house-carles. 

One  day  Mord  was  ware  of  it  when  Gunnar  rode  down  to 
the  isles,  and  sent  a  man  off  under  the  Threecorner  to  tell 
Thorgeir  that  then  would  be  the  likeliest  time  to  try  to  fall 
on  Gunnar. 

They  bestirred  them  at  once,  and  fare  thence  twelve 
together,  but  when  they  came  to  Kirkby  there  they  found 
thirteen  men  waiting  for  them. 

Then  they  made  up  their  minds  to  ride  down  to  Rangriver 
and  lie  in  wait  there  for  Gunnar. 

But  when  Gunnar  rode  up  from  the  isles,  Kolskegg  rode 
with  him.  Gunnar  had  his  bow  and  his  arrows  and  his  bill. 
Kolskegg  had  his  short  sword  and  weapons  to  match. 


THORGEIR  OTKELL  S  SON.  127 


CHAPTER  LXXI. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  THORGEIR  OTKELL'S  SON. 

That  token  happened  as  Gunnar  and  his  brother  rode  up 
towards  Rangriver,  that  much  blood  burst  out  on  the  bill. 

Kolskegg  asked  what  that  might  mean. 

Gunnar  says,  "If  such  tokens  took  place  in  other  lands, 
it  was  called  c  wound-drops/  and  Master  Oliver  told  me  also 
that  this  only  happened  before  great  fights 

So  they  rode  on  till  they  saw  men  sitting  by  the  river  on 
the  other  side,  and  they  had  tethered  their  horses. 

Gunnar  said,  "  Now  we  have  an  ambush  ". 

Kolskegg  answered,  "  Long  have  they  been  faithless  ;  but 
what  is  best  to  be  done  now  ?  " 

"We  will  gallop  up  alongside  them  to  the  ford,"  says 
Gunnar,  "and  there  make  ready  for  them.'" 

The  others  saw  that  and  turned  at  once  towards  them. 

Gunnar  strings  his  bow,  and  takes  his  arrows  and  throws 
them  on  the  ground  before  him,  and  shoots  as  soon  as  ever 
they  come  within  shot ;  by  that  Gunnar  wounded  many 
men,  but  some  he  slew. 

Then  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  spoke  arid  said,  "This  is  no 
use  ;  let  us  make  for  him  as  hard  as  we  can ". 

They  did  so,  and  first  went  Aunund  the  fair,  Thorgeir's 
kinsman.  Gunnar  hurled  the  bill  at  him,  and  it  fell  on  his 
shield  and  clove  it  in  twain,  but  the  bill  rushed  through 
Aunund.  Augmund  Shockhead  rushed  at  Gunnar  behind 
his  back.  Kolskegg  saw  that  and  cut  off  at  once  both 
Augmund's  legs  from  under  him,  and  hurled  him  out  into 
Rangriver,  and  he  was  drowned  there  and  then. 

Then  a  hard  battle  arose  ;  Gunnar  cut  with  one  hand  and 
thrust  with  the  other.  Kolskegg  slew  some  men  and  wounded 
many. 

Thorgeir's  Starkad's  son  called  out  to  his  namesake,  "It 
looks  very  little  as  though  thou  hadst  a  father  to  avenge  ". 

"  True  it  is,"  he  answers,  "  that  I  do  not  make  much  way, 
but  yet  thou  hast  not  followed  in  my  footsteps  ;  still  I  will 
not  bear  thy  reproaches." 

With  that  he  rushes  at  Gunnar  in  great  wrath,  and  thrust 
his  spear  through  his  shield,  and  so  on  through  his  arm. 


128    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

Gunnar  gave  the  shield  such  a  sharp  twist  that  the  spear- 
head broke  short  off  at  the  socket.  Gunnar  sees  that  another 
man  was  come  within  reach  of  his  sword,  and  he  smites  at  him 
and  deals  him  his  death-blow.  After  that,  he  clutches  his  bill 
with  both  hands  ;  just  then  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  had  come 
near  him  with  a  drawn  sword,  and  Gunnar  turns  on  him  in 
great  wrath,  and  drives  the  bill  through  him,  and  lifts  him  up 
aloft,  and  casts  him  out  into  Rangriver,  and  he  drifts  down 
towards  the  ford,  and  stuck  fast  there  on  a  stone  ;  and  the 
name  of  that  ford  has  since  been  Thorgeir' s  ford. 

Then  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  said,  "  Let  us  fly  now  ;  no 
victory  will  be  fated  to  us  this  time 

So  they  all  turned  and  fled  from  the  field. 

"Let  us  follow  them  up  now/'  says  Kolskegg,  "and  take 
thou  thy  bow  and  arrows,  and  thou  wilt  come  within  bow-shot 
of  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son/' 

Then  Gunnar  sang  a  song. 

Reaver  of  rich  river-treasure, 
Plundered  will  our  purses  be, 
Though  to-day  we  wound  no  other 
Warriors  wight  in  play  of  spears  ; 
Aye,  if  I  for  all  these  sailors 
Lowly  lying,  fines  must  pay — 
This  is  wtry  I  hold  my  hand, 
Hearken,  brother  dear,  to  me. 

"Our  purses  will  be  emptied,"  says  Gunnar,  "by  the  time 
that  these  are  atoned  for  who  now  lie  here  dead." 

"  Thou  wilt  never  lack  money,"  says  Kolskegg ;  "  but 
Thorgier  will  never  leave  off  before  he  compasses  thy  death." 

Gunnar  sung  another  song. 

Lord  of  water-skates 1  that  skim 
Sea-king's  fields,  more  good  as  he, 
Shedding  wounds'  red  stream,  must  stand 
In  my  way  ere  I  shall  wince. 
I,  the  golden  armlets'  warder, 
Snakelike  twined  around  my  wrist, 
Ne'er  shall  shun  a  foeman's  faulchion 
Flashing  bright  in  din  of  fight. 

"  He,  and  a  few  more  as  good  as  he,"  says  Gunnar,  "  must 
stand  in  my  path  ere  I  am  afraid  of  them." 

After  that  they  ride  home  and  te  1  the  tidings. 

Hallgerda  was  well  pleased  to  hear  them,  and  praised  the 
deed  much.  • 


1  "Water-skates,"  a  periphrasis  for  ships. 


SUITS  FOR  MANSLAUGHTER  129 


Rannveig  said,  u  May  be  the  deed  is  good  ;  but  somehow/ ' 
she  says,  "  I  feel  too  downcast  about  it  to  think  that  good  can 
come  of  it ". 


CHAPTER  LXXII. 

OF  THE  SUITS  FOR  MANSLAUGHTER  AT  THE  THING. 

These  tidings  were  spread  far  and  wide,  and  Thorgeir's  death 
was  a  great  grief  to  many  a  man.  Gizur  the  white  and  his 
men  rode  to  the  spot  and  gave  notice  of  the  manslaughter, 
and  called  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  to  the  Thing.  Then 
they  rode  home  west. 

Njal  and  Gunnar  met  and  talked  about  the  battle.  Then 
Njal  said  to  Gunnar — 

"  Now  be  ware  of  thyself !  Now  hast  thou  slain  twice  in 
the  same  stock  ;  and  so  now  take  heed  to  thy  behaviour,  and 
think  that  it  is  as  much  as  thy  life  is  worth,  if  thou  dost  not  hold 
to  the  settlement  that  is  made." 

"  Nor  do  I  mean  to  break  it  in  any  way,"  says  Gunnar, 
"  but  still  I  shall  need  thy  help  at  the  Thing." 

"1  will  hold  to  my  faithfulness  to  thee,"  said  Njal,  "till 
my  death  day." 

Then  Gunnar  rides  home.  Now  the  Thing  draws  near  ; 
and  each  side  gather  a  great  company  ;  and  it  is  a  matter  of 
much  talk  at  the  Thing  how  these  suits  will  end. 

Those  two,  Gizur  the  white,  and  Geir  the  priest,  talked 
with  each  other  as  to  who  should  give  notice  of  the  suit  of 
manslaughter  after  Thorgeir,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  Gizur 
took  the  suit  on  his  hand,  and  gave  notice  of  it  at  the  Hill  of 
Laws,  and  spoke  in  these  words  : — 

"  I  gave  notice  of  a  suit  for  assault  laid  down  by  law  against 
Gunnar  Hrmond's  son ;  for  that  he  rushed  with  an  onslaught 
laid  down  by  law  on  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son,  and  wounded  him 
with  a  body  wound,  which  proved  a  death  wound,  so  that 
Thorgeir  got  his  death. 

"  I  say  on  this  charge  he  ought  to  become  a  convicted 
outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not  to  be  helped 
or  harboured  in  any  need. 

"  I  say  that  his  goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half  to 
9 


130    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


the  men  of  the  Quarter,  whose  right  it  is  by  law  to  seize  the 
goods  of  outlaws. 

"  I  give  notice  of  this  charge  in  the  Quarter  Court,  into 
which  this  suit  ought  by  law  to  come. 

"  I  give  this  lawful  notice  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws. 

"  I  give  notice  now  of  this  suit,  and  of  full  forfeiture  and 
outlawry  against  Gunnar  Hamond's  son." 

A  second  time  Gizur  took  witness,  and  gave  notice  of  a 
suit  against  Gunnar  Hamond's  son,  for  that  he  had  wounded 
Thorgeir  Otkell  s  son  with  a  body  wound  which  was  a  death 
wound,  and  from  which  Thorgeir  got  his  death,  on  such  and 
such  a  spot  when  Gunnar  first  sprang  on  Thorgeir  with  an 
onslaught,  laid  down  by  law. 

After  that  he  gave  notice  of  this  declaration  as  he  had  done 
of  the  first.  Then  he  asked  in  what  Quarter  Court  the  suit 
lay,  and  in  what  house  in  the  district  the  defendant  dwelt. 

When  that  was  over  men  left  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  all 
said  that  he  spoke  well. 

Gunnar  kept  himself  well  in  hand  and  said  little  or  nothing. 

Now  the  Thing  wears  away  till  the  day  when  the  courts 
were  to  be  set. 

Then  Gunnar  stood  looking  south  by  the  court  of  the  men 
of  Rangriver,  and  his  men  with  him. 

Gizur  stood  looking  north,  and  calls  his  witnesses,  and  bade 
Gunnar  to  listen  to  his  oath,  and  to  his  declaration  of  the  suit, 
and  to  all  the  steps  and  proofs  which  he  meant  to  bring  for- 
ward. After  that  he  took  his  oath,  and  then  he  brought 
forward  the  suit  in  the  same  shape  before  the  court,  as  he  had 
given  notice  of  it  before.  Then  he  made  them  bring  forward 
witness  of  the  notice,  then  he  bade  the  neighbours  on  the  in- 
quest to  take  their  seats,  and  called  upon  Gunnar  to  challenge 
the  inquest. 

CHAPTER  LXXIII. 

OF  THE  ATONEMENT. 

Then  Njal  spoke  and  said — 

"  Now  I  can  no  longer  sit  still  and  take  no  part.  Let  us 
go  to  where  the  neighbours  sit  on  the  inquest/' 


OF  THE  ATONEMENT.  131 


They  went  thither  and  challenged  four  neighbours  out  of 
the  inquest,  but  they  called  on  the  five  that  were  left  to 
answer  the  following  question  in  Gunnar's  favour,  "  whether 
those  namesakes  had  gone  out  with  that  mind  to  the  place  of 
meeting  to  do  Gunnar  a  mischief  if  they  could  ?  " 

But  all  bore  witness  at  once  that  so  it  was. 

Then  Njal  called  this  a  lawful  defence  to  the  suit,  and 
said  he  would  bring  forward  proof  of  it  unless  they  gave  over 
the  suit  to  arbitration. 

Then  many  chiefs  joined  in  praying  for  an  atonement,  and 
so  it  was  brought  about  that  twelve  men  should  utter  an  award 
in  the  matter. 

Then  either  side  went  and  handselled  this  settlement  to 
the  other.  Afterwards  the  award  was  made,  and  the  sum  to 
be  paid  settled,  and  it  was  all  to  be  paid  down  then  and  there 
at  the  Thing. 

But  besides,  Gunnar  was  to  go  abroad  and  Kolskegg  with 
him,  and  they  were  to  be  away  three  winters  ;  but  if  Gunnar 
did  not  go  abroad  when  he  had  a  chance  of  a  passage,  then 
he  was  to  be  slain  by  the  kinsmen  of  those  whom  he  had 
killed. 

Gunnar  made  no  sign,  as  though  he  thought  the  terms  of 
atonement  were  not  good.  He  asked  Njal  for  that  money 
which  he  had  handed  over  to  him  to  keep.  Njal  had  laid  the 
money  out  at  interest  and  paid  it  down  all  at  once,  and  it 
just  came  to  what  Gunnar  had  to  pay  for  himself. 

Now  they  ride  home.  Gunnar  and  Njal  rode  both  together 
from  the  Thing,  and  then  Njal  said  to  Gunnar — 

"Take  good  care,  messmate,  that  thou  keepest  to  this 
atonement,  and  bear  in  mind  what  we  have  spoken  about ; 
for  though  thy  former  journey  abroad  brought  thee  to  great 
honour,  this  will  be  a  far  greater  honour  to  thee.  Thou  wilt 
come  back  with  great  glory,  and  live  to  be  an  old  man,  and 
no  man  here  will  then  tread  on  thy  heel ;  but  if  thou  dost  not 
fare  away,  and  so  breakest  thy  atonement,  then  thou  wilt  be 
slain  here  in  the  land,  and  that  is  ill  knowing  for  those  who 
are  thy  friends.' ' 

Gunnar  said  he  had  no  mind  to  break  the  atonement,  and 
he  rides  home  and  told  them  of  the  settlement. 

Rannveig  said  it  was  well  that  he  fared  abroad,  for  then 
they  must  find  some  one  else  to  quarrel  with. 


132    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

KOLSKEGG  GOES  ABROAD. 

Thrain  Sigfus'  son  said  to  his  wife  that  he  meant  to  fare 
abroad  that  summer.  She  said  that  was  well.  So  he  took 
his  passage  with  Hogni  the  white. 

Gunnar  took  his  passage  with  Arnfin  of  the  Bay ;  and 
Kolskegg  was  to  go  with  him. 

Grim  and  Helgi,  Njal's  sons,  asked  their  father's  leave  to 
go  abroad  too,  and  Njal  said — 

u  This  foreign  voyage  ye  will  find  hard  work,  so  hard  that 
it  will  be  doubtful  whether  ye  keep  your  lives  ;  but  still  ye 
two  will  get  some  honour  and  glory,  but  it  is  not  unlikely 
that  a  quarrel  will  arise  out  of  your  journey  when  ye  come 
back." 

Still  they  kept  on  asking  their  father  to  let  them  go,  and 
the  end  of  it  was  that  he  bade  them  go  if  they  chose. 

Then  they  got  them  a  passage  with  Bard  the  black,  and 
Olaf  Kettle's  son  of  Elda ;  and  it  is  the  talk  of  the  whole 
country  that  all  the  better  men  in  that  district  were  leaving  it. 

By  this  time  Gunnar' s  sons,  Hogni  and  Grani,  were  grown 
up ;  they  were  men  of  very  different  turn  of  mind.  Grani 
had  much  of  his  mother's  temper,  but  Hogni  was  kind  and 
good. 

Gunnar  made  men  bear  down  the  wares  of  his  brother  and 
himself  to  the  ship,  and  when  all  Gunnar' s  baggage  had  come 
down,  and  the  ship  was  all  but  "boun,"  then  Gunnar  rides  to 
Bergthorsknoll,  and  to  other  homesteads  to  see  men,  and 
thanked  them  all  for  the  help  they  had  given  him. 

The  day  after  Jie  gets  ready  early  for  his  journey  to  the 
ship,  and  told  all  his  people  that  he  would  ride  away  for  good 
and  all,  and  men  took  that  much  to  heart,  but  still  they  said 
that  they  looked  to  his  coming  back  afterwards. 

Gunnar  threw  his  arms  round  each  of  the  household  when 
he  was  "boun,"  and  every  one  of  them  went  out  of  doors 
with  him  ;  he  leans  on  the  butt  of  his  spear  and  leaps  into  the 
saddle,  and  he  and  Kolskegg  ride  away. 

They  ride  down  along  Markfleet,  and  just  then  Gunnar's 
horse  tripped  and  threw  him  off.  He  turned  with  his  face 
up  towards  the  Lithe  and  the  homestead  at  Lithend,  and  said — 

"  Fair  is  the  Lithe ;  so  fair  that  it  has  never  seemed  to  me 


KOLSKEGG  GOES  ABROAD.  *133 


so  fair ;  the  corn  fields  are  white  to  harvest,  and  the  home 
mead  is  mown ;  and  now  I  will  ride  back  home,  and  not  fare 
abroad  at  all." 

"Do  not  this  joy  to  thy  foes/'  says  Kolskegg,  by  breaking 
thy  atonement,  for  no  man  could  think  thou  wouldst  do  thus, 
and  thou  mayst  be  sure  that  all  will  happen  as  Njal  has  said." 

"I  will  not  go  away  any  whither,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  so 
I  would  thou  shouldest  do  too." 

"That  shall  not  be/'  says  Kolskegg ;  "I  will  never  do  a 
base  thing  in  this,  nor  in  anything  else  which  is  left  to  my 
good  faith ;  and  this  is  that  one  thing  that  could  tear  us 
asunder ;  but  tell  this  to  my  kinsmen  and  to  my  mother,  that 
I  never  mean  to  see  Iceland  again,  for  I  shall  soon  learn  that 
thou  art  dead,  brother,  and  then  there  will  be  nothing  left  to 
bring  me  back." 

So  they  parted  there  and  then.  Gunnar  rides  home  to 
Lithend,  but  Kolskegg  rides  to  the  ship,  and  goes  abroad. 

Hallgerda  was  glad  to  see  Gunnar  when  he  came  home, 
but  his  mother  said  little  or  nothing. 

Now  Gunnar  sits  at  home  that  fall  and  winter,  and  had 
not  many  men  with  him. 

Now  the  winter  leaves  the  farmyard.  Olaf  the  peacock 
asked  Gunnar  and  Hallgerda  to  come  and  stay  with  him  ; 
but  as  for  the  farm,  to  put  it  into  the  hands  of  his  mother  and 
his  son  Hogni. 

Gunnar  thought  that  a  good  thing  at  first,  and  agreed  to 
it,  but  when  it  came  to  the  point  he  would  not  do  it. 

But  at  the  Thing  next  summer,  Gizur  the  white,  and  Geir 
the  priest,  gave  notice  of  Gunnar' s  outlawry  at  the  Hill  of 
Laws  ;  and  before  the  Thing  broke  up  Gizar  summoned  all 
Gunnar's  foes  to  meet  in  the  "Great  Rift".1  He  summoned 
Starkad  under  the  Threecorner,  and  Thorgeir  his  son ;  Mord 
and  Valgard  the  guileful ;  Geir  the  priest  tmd  Hjalti  Skeggi's 
son ;  Thorbrand  and  Asbrand,  Thorleik's  sons  ;  Eyjulf,  and 
Aunund  his  son.  Aunund  of  Witchwood  arid  Thorgrim  the 
Easterling  of  Sandgil. 

Then  Gizur  spoke  and  said,  "  I  will  make  you  all  this 
offer,  that  we  go  out  against  Gunnar  this  summer  and  slay 
him  ". 

"I  gave  my  word  to  Gunnar,"  said  Hjalti,  "here  at  the 

1"  Great  Rift,"  Almannagja — The  great  volcanic  rift,  or  "  geo,"  as  it 
would  be  called  in  Orkney  and  Shetland,  which  bounds  the  plain  of  the  Althing 
on  one  side. 


134    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Thing,  when  he  showed  himself  most  willing  to  yield  to  my 
prayer,  that  1  would  never  be  in  any  attack  upon  him  ;  and 
so  it  shall  be/* 

Then  Hjalti  went  away,  but  those  who  were  left  behind 
made  up  their  minds  to  make  an  onslaught  on  Gunnar,  and 
shook  hands  on  the  bargain,  and  laid  a  fine  on  any  one  that 
left  the  undertaking. 

Mord  was  to  keep  watch  and  spy  out  when  there  was  the 
best  chance  of  falling  on  him,  and  they  were  forty  men  in 
this  league,  and  they  thought  it  would  be  a  light  thing  for 
them  to  hunt  down  Gunnar,  now  that  Kolskegg  was  away, 
and  Thrain  and  many  other  of  Gunnar' s  friends. 

Men  ride  from  the  Thing,  and  Njal  went  to  see  Gunnar, 
and  told  him  of  his  outlawry,  and  how  an  onslaught  was 
planned  against  him. 

"Methinks  thou  art  the  best  of  friends/'  says  Gunnar; 
"  thou  makest  me  aware  of  what  is  meant." 

"Now,"  says  Njal,  "I  would  that  Skarphedinn  should 
come  to  thy  house,  and  my  son  Hauskuld  ;  they  will  lay  down 
their  lives  for  thy  life." 

"I  will  not,"  says  Gunnar,  "that  thy  sons  should  be  slain 
for  my  sake,  and  thou  hast  a  right  to  look  for  other  things 
from  me." 

"All  thy  care  will  come  to  nothing,"  says  Njal ;  "quarrels 
will  turn  thitherward  where  my  sons  are  as  soon  as  thou  art 
dead  and  gone." 

"That  is  not  unlikely,"  says  Gunnar,  "but  still  it  would 
mislike  me  that  they  fell  into  them  for  me  ;  but  this  one  thing 
I  will  ask  of  thee,  that  ye  see  after  my  son  Hogni,  but  I  say 
naught  of  Grani,  for  he  does  not  behave  himself  much  after 
my  mind." 

Njal  rode  home,  and  gave  his  word  to  do  that. 

It  is  said  that  Gunnar  rode  to  all  meetings  of  men,  and  to 
all  lawful  Things,  and  his  foes  never  dared  to  fall  on  him. 

And  so  some  time  went  on  that  he  went  about  as  a  free 
and  guiltless  man. 


Gv'NNAR'S  SLAYING.  135 

n 

CHAPTER  LXXV. 

THE  RIDING  TO  LITHEND. 

Next  autumn  Mord  Valgard's  son,  sent  word  that  Gunnar 
would  be  all  alone  at  home,  but  all  his  people  would  be  down 
in  the  isles  to  make  an  end  of  their  haymaking.  Then  Gizur 
the  white  and  Geir  the  priest  rode  east  over  the  rivers  as  soon 
as  ever  they  heard  that,  and  so  east  across  the  sands  to  Hof. 
Then  they  sent  word  to  Starkad  under  the  Threecorner,  and 
there  they  all  met  who  were  to  fall  on  Gunnar,  and  took 
counsel  how  they  might  best  bring  it  about. 

Mord  said  that  they  could  not  come  on  Gunnar  unawares, 
unless  they  seized  the  farmer  who  dwelt  at  the  next  home- 
stead, whose  name  was  Thorkell,  and  made  him  go  against  his 
will  with  them  to  lay  hands  on  the  hound  Sam,  and  unless  he 
went  before  them  to  the  homestead  to  do  this. 

Then  they  set  out  east  for  Lithend,  but  sent  to  fetch 
Thorkell.  They  seized  him  and  bound  him,  and  gave  him 
two  choices — one  that  they  would  slay  him,  or  else  he  must 
lay  hands  on  the  hound ;  but  he  chooses  rather  to  save  his 
life,  and  went  with  them. 

There  was  a  beaten  sunk  road,  between  fences,  above  the 
farm  yard  at  Lithend,  and  there  they  halted  with  their  band. 
Master  Thorkell  went  up  to  the  homestead,  and  the  tyke  lay 
on  the  top  of  the  house,  and  he  entices  the  dog  away  with  him 
into  a  deep  hollow  in  the  path.  Just  then  the  hound  sees 
that  there  are  men  before  them,  and  he  leaps  on  Thorkell  and 
tears  his  belly  open. 

Aunund  of  Witchwood  smote  the  hound  on  the  head  with 
his  axe,  so  that  the  blade  sunk  into  the  brain.  The  hound 
gave  such  a  great  howl  that  they  thought  it  passing  strange, 
and  he  fell  down  dead. 


CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

GUNNAR'S  SLAYING. 

Gunnar  woke  up  in  his  hall  and  said — 

"Thou  hast  been  sorely  treated,  Sam,  my  fosterling,  and 
this  warning  is  so  meant  that  our  two  deaths  will  not  be  far 
apart." 


136    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Gunnar' s  hall  was  made  all  of  wood,  and  roofed  with 
beams  above,  and  there  were  window-slits  under  the  beams 
that  carried  the  roof,  and  they  were  fitted  with  shutters. 

Gunnar  slept  in  a  loft  above  the  hall,  and  so  did  Hallgerda 
and  his  mother. 

Now  when  they  were  come  near  to  the  house  they  knew  not 
whether  Gunnar  were  at  home,  and  bade  that  some  one  would 
go  straight  up  to  the  house  and  see  if  he  could  find  out.  But 
the  rest  sat  them  down  on  the  ground. 

Thorgrim  the  Easterling  went  and  began  to  climb  up  on 
the  hall ;  Gunnar  sees  that  a  red  kirtle  passed  before  the 
windowslit,  and  thrusts  out  the  bill,  and  smote  him  on  the 
middle.  Thorgrim's  feet  slipped  from  under  him,  and  he 
dropped  his  shield,  and  down  he  toppled  from  the  roof. 

Then  he  goes  to  Gizur  and  his  band  as  they  sat  on  the 
ground. 

Gizur  looked  at  him  and  said — 
"  Well,  is  Gunnar  at  home  ?  " 

"Find  that  out  for  yourselves,"  said  Thorgrim  ;  "but  this 
I  am  sure  of,  that  his  bill  is  at  home,"  and  with  that  he  fell 
down  dead. 

Then  they  made  for  the  buildings.  Gunnar  shot  out 
arrows  at  them,  and  made  a  stout  defence,  and  they  could 
get  nothing  done.  Then  some  of  them  got  into  the  out- 
houses and  tried  to  attack  him  thence,  but  Gunnar  found 
them  out  with  his  arrows  there  also,  and  still  they  could  get 
nothing  done. 

So  it  went  on  for  a  while,  then  they  took  a  rest,  and  made 
a  second  onslaught.  Gunnar  still  shot  out  at  them,  and  they 
could  do  nothing,  and  fell  off  the  second  time.  Then  Gizur 
the  white  said — 

"  Let  us  press  on  harder ;  nothing  comes  of  our  on- 
slaught." 

Then  they  made  a  third  bout  of  it,  and  were  long  at  it, 
and  then  they  fell  off  again. 

Gunnar  said,  "There  lies  an  arrow  outside  on  the  wall, 
and  it  is  one  of  their  shafts ;  I  will  shoot  at  them  with  it,  and 
it  will  be  a  shame  to  them  if  they  get  a  hurt  from  their  own 
weapons 

His  mother  said,  "  Do  not  so,  my  son ;  nor  rouse  them 
again  when  they  have  already  fallen  off  from  the  attack 

But  Gunnar  caught  up  the  arrow  and  shot  it  after  them, 
and  struck  Eylif  Aunund's  son,  and  he  got  a  great  wound  ;  he 


GUNNAR'S  SLAYING.  137 


was  standing  all  by  himself,  and  they  knew  not  that  he  was 
wounded. 

"Ouc  came  ^n  arm  yonder,"  says  Gizur,  "and  there  was  a 
gold  ring  on  it,  and  took  an  arrow  from  the  roof,  and  they 
would  not  look  outside  for  shafts  if  there  were  enough  in 
doors ;  and  now  ye  shall  make  a  fresh  onslaught/' 

"Let  us  burn  him  house  and  all/'  said  Mord. 

"That  shall  never  be/'  says  Gizur,  "though  I  knew  that 
my  life  lay  on  it ;  but  it  is  easy  for  thee  to  find  out  some  plan, 
such  a  cunning  man  as  thou  art  said  to  be." 

Some  ropes  lay  there  on  the  ground,  and  they  were  often 
used  to  strengthen  the  roof.  Then  Mord  said — "  Let  us  take 
the  ropes  and  throw  one  end  over  the  end  of  the  carrying 
beams,  but  let  us  fasten  the  other  end  to  these  rocks  and 
twist  them  tight  with  levers,  and  so  pull  the  roof  off  the  hall." 

So  they  took  the  ropes  and  all  lent  a  hand  to  carry  this 
out,  and  before  Gunnar  was  aware  of  it,  they  had  pulled  the 
whole  roof  off  the  hall. 

Then  Gunnar  still  -shoots  with  his  bow  so  that  they  could 
never  come  nigh  him.  Then  Mord  said  again  that  they  must 
burn  the  house  over  Gunnar  s  head.    But  Gizur  said — 

"  I  know  not  why  thou  wilt  speak  of  that  which  no  one 
else  wishes,  and  that  shall  never  be." 

Just  then  Thorbrand  Thorleik's  son  sprang  up  on  the 
roof,  and  cuts  asunder  Gunnar's  bowstring.  Gunnar  clutches 
the  bill  with  both  hands,  and  turns  on  him  quickly  and  drives 
it  through  him,  and  hurls  him  down  on  the  ground. 

Then  up  sprung  Asbrand  his  brother.  Gunnar  thrusts 
at  him  with  the  bill,  and  he  threw  his  shield  before  the  blow, 
but  the  bill  passed  clean  through  the  shield  and  broke  both 
his  arms,  and  down  he  fell  from  the  wall. 

Gunnar  had  already  wounded  eight  men  and  slain  those 
twain.1  By  that  time  Gunnar  had  got  two  wounds,  and  all 
men  said  that  he  never  once  winced  either  at  wounds  or 
death. 

Then  Gunnar  said  to  Hallgerda,  "Give  me  two  locks  of 
thy  hair,  and  ye  two,  my  mother  and  thou,  twist  them 
together  into  a  bowstring  for  me." 

"  Does  aught  lie  on  it  ?  "  she  says. 

"  My  life  lies  on  it,"  he  said  ;  "  for  they  will  never  come  to 
close  quarters  with  me  if  I  can  keep  them  off  with  my  bow." 


1  Thorgrim  Easterling  and  Thorbrand. 


138    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Well !  "  she  says,  u  now  I  will  call  to  thy  mind  that  slap 
on  the  face  which  thou  gavest  me ;  and  I  care  it  er  a  whit 
whether  thou  holdest  out  a  long  while  or  a  shcrt." 

Then  Gunnar  sang  a  song — 

Each  who  hurls  the  gory  javelin 
Hath  some  honour  of  his  own, 
Now  my  helpmeet  wimple-hooded 
Hurries  all  my  fame  to  earth. 
No  one  owner  of  a  war-ship 
Often  asks  for  little  things, 
Woman,  fond  of  Frodi's  flour,* 
Wends  her  hand  as  she  is  wont. 

"Every  one  has  something  to  boast  of,"  says  Gunnar, 
"and  I  will  ask  thee  no  more  for  this." 

" Thou  behavest  ill,"  said  Rannveig,  "and  this  shame  shall 
long  be  had  in  mind/' 

Gunnar  made  a  stout  and  bold  defence,  and  now  wounds 
other  eight  men  with  such  sore  wounds  that  many  lay  at 
death's  door.  Gunnar  keeps  them  all  off  until  he  fell  worn 
out  with  toil.  Then  they  wounded  him  with  many  and  great 
wounds,  but  still  he  got  away  out  of  their  hands,  and  held  his 
own  against  them  a  while  longer,  but  at  last  it  came  about 
that  they  slew  him. 

Of  this  defence  of  his,  Thorkell  the  Skald  of  Gota-Elf  sang 
in  the  verses  which  follow — 

We  have  heard  how  south  in  Iceland 
Gunnar  guarded  well  himself, 
Boldly  battle's  thunder  wielding, 
Fiercest  foeman  on  the  wave ; 
Hero  of  the  golden  collar, 
Sixteen  with  the  sword  he  wounded  ; 
In  the  shock  that  Odin  loveth, 
Two  before  him  tasted  death. 

But  this  is  what  Thormod  Olaf's  son  sang — 

None  that  scattered  sea's  bright  sunbeams, f 

Won  more  glorious  fame  than  Gunnar, 

So  runs  fame  of  old  in  Iceland, 

Fitting  fame  of  heathen  men  ; 

Lord  of  fight  when  helms  were  crashing, 

Lives  of  foeman  twain  he  took, 

Wielding  bitter  steel  he  sorely 

Wounded  twelve,  and  four  besides. 

Then  Gizur  spoke  and  said  :  "  We  have  now  laid  low  to 

*  41  Frodi's  flour,"  a  periphrasis  for  gold. 

f  "  Sea's  bright  sunbeams,"  a  periphrasis  for  gold. 


GUNNAR  SINGS  A  SONG  DEAD.  139 


earth  a  mighty  chief,  and  hard  work  has  it  been,  and  the 
fame  of  this  defence  of  his  shall  last  as  long  as  men  live  in 
this  land 

After  that  he  went  to  see  Rannveig  and  said,  "  Wilt  thou 
grant  us  earth  here  for  two  of  our  men  who  are  dead,  that 
they  may  lie  in  a  cairn  here  ?  " 

"  All  the  more  willingly  for  two/'  she  says,  "  because 
I  wish  with  all  my  heart  I  had  to  grant  it  to  all  of  you/' 

u  It  must  be  forgiven  thee,"  he  says,  "  to  speak  thus,  for 
thou  hast  had  a  great  loss." 

Then  he  gave  orders  that  no  man  should  spoil  or  rob 
anything  there. 

After  that  they  went  away. 

Then  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  said,  "  We  may  not  be  in 
our  house  at  home  for  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  unless  thou  Gizur 
or  thou  Geir  be  here  south  some  little  while 

.  "  This  shall  be  so,"  says  Gizur,  and  they  cast  lots,  and  the 
lot  fell  on  Geir  to  stay  behind. 

After  that  he  came  to  the  Point,  and  set  up  his  house 
there  ;  he  had  a  son  whose  name  was  Hroald  ;  he  was  base 
born,  and  his  mother's  name  was  Biartey  ;  he  boasted  that  he 
had  given  Gunnar  his  death-blow.  Hroald  was  at  the  Point 
with  his  father. 

Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  boasted  of  another  wound  which 
he  had  given  to  Gunnar. 

Gizur  sat  at  home  at  Mossfell.  Gunnar's  slaying  was 
heard  of,  and  ill  spoken  of  throughout  the  whole  country, 
and  his  death  was  a  great  grief  to  many  a  man. 


CHAPTER  LXXVII. 

GUNNAR  SINGS  A  SONG  DEAD. 

Njal  could  ill  brook  Gunnar's  death,  nor  could  the  sons  of 
Sigfus  brook  it  either. 

They  asked  whether  Njal  thought  they  had  any  right  to 
give  notice  of  a  suit  of  manslaughter  for  Gunnar,  or  to  set 
the  suit  on  foot. 

He  said  that  could  not  be  done,  as  the  man  had  been 
outlawed ;  but  said  it  would  be  better  worth  trying  to  do 


140    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 

something  to  wound  their  glory,  by  slaying  some  men  in 
vengeance  after  him. 

They  cast  a  cairn  over  Gunnar,  and  made  him  sit  upright 
in  the  cairn.  Rannveig  would  not  hear  of  his  bill  being 
buried  in  the  cairn,  but  said  he  alone  should  have  it  as  his 
own,  who  was  ready  to  avenge  Gunnar.  So  no  one  took  the 
bill. 

She  was  so  hard  on  Hallgerda,  that  she  was  on  the  point 
of  killing  her  ;  and  she  said  that  she  had  been  the  cause  of 
her  son's  slaying. 

Then  Hallgerda  fled  away  to  Gritwater,  and  her  son  Grani 
with  her,  and  they  shared  the  goods  between  them  ;  Hogni 
was  to  have  the  land  at  Lithend  and  the  homestead  on  it, 
but  Grani  was  to  have  the  land  let  out  on  lease. 

Now  this  token  happened  at  Lithend,  that  the  neat-herd 
and  the  serving-maid  were  driving  cattle  by  Gunnar' s  cairn. 
They  thought  that  he  was  merry,  and  that  he  was  singing  in- 
side the  cairn.  They  went  home  and  told  Rannveig,  Gunnar' s 
mother,  of  this  token,  but  she  bade  them  go  and  tell  Njal. 

Then  they  went  over  to  Bergthorsknoll  and  told  Njal, 
but  he  made  them  tell  it  three  times  over. 

After  that,  he  had  a  long  talk  all  alone  with  Skarphedinn  ; 
and  Skarphedinn  took  his  weapons  and  goes  with  them  to 
Lithend. 

Rannveig  and  Hogni  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome,  and 
were  very  glad  to  see  him.  Rannveig  asked  him  to  stay 
there  some  time,  and  he  said  he  would. 

He  and  Hogni  were  always  together,  at  home  and  abroad. 
Hogni  was  a  brisk,  brave  man,  well-bred  and  well-trained  in 
mind  and  body,  but  distrustful  and  slow  to  believe  what  he 
was  told,  and  that  was  why  they  dared  not  tell  him  of  the 
token. 

Now  those  two,  Skarphedinn  and  Hogni,  were  out  of  doors 
one  evening  by  Gunnar' s  cairn  on  the  south  side.  The  moon 
and  stars  were  shining  clear  and  bright,  but  every  now  and 
then  the  clouds  drove  over  them.  Then  all  at  once  they 
thought  they  saw  the  cairn  standing  open,  and  lo !  Gunnar 
had  turned  himself  in  the  cairn  and  looked  at  the  moon. 
They  thought  they  saw  four  lights  burning  in  the  cairn,  and 
none  of  them  threw  a  shadow.  They  saw  that  Gunnar  was 
merry,  and  he  wore  a  joyful  face.  He  sang  a  song,  and  so 
loud,  that  it  might  have  been  heard  though  they  had  been 
farther  off. 


GUNNAR  OF  LITHEND  AVENGED.  141 


He  that  lavished  rings  in  largesse, 
When  the  fight's  red  rain-drops  fell, 
Bright  of  face,  with  heart-strings  hardy, 
Hogni's  father  met  his  fate  ; 
Then  his  brow  with  helmet  shrouding, 
Bearing  battle-shield,  he  spake, 
"  I  will  die  the  prop  of  battle, 
Sooner  die  than  yield  an  inch, 
Yes,  sooner  die  than  yield  an  inch  ". 

After  that  the  cairn  was  shut  up  again. 

"Wouldst  thou  believe  these  tokens  if  Njal  or  I  told 
them  to  thee  ?  "  says  Skarphedinn. 

u  I  would  believe  them/'  he  says,  "  if  Njal  told  them,  for 
it  is  said  he  never  lies." 

"Such  tokens  as  these  mean  much/'  says  Skarphedinn, 
"  when  he  shows  himself  to  us,  he  who  would  sooner  die  than 
yield  to  his  foes  ;  and  see  how  he  has  taught  us  what  we 
ought  to  do/' 

"  I  shall  be  able  to  bring  nothing  to  pass,"  says  Hogni, 
u  unless  thou  wilt  stand  by  me." 

"  Now,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "  will  I  bear  in  mind  how 
Gunnar  behaved  after  the  slaying  of  your  kinsman  Sigmund  ; 
now  1  will  yield  you  such  help  as  I  may.  My  father  gave  his 
word  to  Gunnar  to  do  that  whenever  thou  or  thy  mother  had 
need  of  it." 

After  that  they  go  home  to  Lithend. 


CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 

GUNNAR  OF  LITHEND  AVENGED. 

"  Now  we  shall  set  off  at  once,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "  this  very 
night ;  for  if  they  learn  that  I  am  here,  they  will  be  more 
wary  of  themselves." 

"  I  will  fulfil  thy  counsel,"  says  Hogni. 

After  that  they  took  their  weapons  when  all  men  were 
in  their  beds.  Hogni  takes  down  the  bill,  and  it  gave  a 
sharp  ringing'  sound. 

Rannveig  sprang  up  in  great  wrath  and  said — 

"  Who  touches  the  bill,  when  I  forbade  every  one  to  lay 
hand  on  it  ?  " 

"  I  mean,"  says  Hogni,  "  to  bring  it  to  my  father,  that  he 


142    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


may  bear  it  with  him  to  Valhalla,  and  have  it  with  him  when 
the  warriors  meet." 

"Rather  shalt  thou  now  bear  it,"  she  answered,  "and 
avenge  thy  father  ;  for  the  bill  has  spoken  of  one  man's 
death  or  more." 

Then  Hogni  went  out,  and  told  Skarphedinn  all  the 
words  that  his  grandmother  had  spoken. 

After  that  they  fare  to  the  Point,  and  two  ravens  flew 
along  with  them  all  the  way.  They  came  to  the  Point  while 
it  was  still  night.  Then  they  drove  the  flock  before  them  up 
to  the  house,  and  then  Hroald  and  Tjorfi  ran  out  and  drove 
the  flock  up  the  hollow  path,  and  had  their  weapons  with 
them. 

Skarphedinn  sprang  up  and  said,  "Thou  needest  not  to 
stand  and  think  if  it  be  really  as  it  seems.    Men  are  here.,, 

Then  Skarphedinn  smites  Tjorfi  his  death-blow.  Hroald 
had  a  spear  in  his  hand,  and  Hogni  rushes  at  him  ;  Hroald 
thrusts  at  him,  but  Hogni  hewed  asunder  the  spear-shaft 
with  his  bill,  and  drives  the  bill  through  him. 

After  that  they  left  them  there  dead,  and  turn  away 
thence  under  the  Threecorner. 

Skarphedinn  jumps  up  on  the  house  and  plucks  the  grass, 
and  those  who  were  inside  the  house  thought  it  was  cattle 
that  had  come  on  the  roof.  Starkad  and  Thorgeir  took  their 
weapons  and  upper  clothing,  and  went  out  and  round  about 
the  fence  of  the  yard.  But  when  Starkad  sees  Skarphedinn 
he  was  afraid,  and  wanted  to  turn  back. 

Skarphedinn  cut  him  down  by  the  fence.  Then  Hogni 
comes  against  Thorgeir  and  slays  him  with  the  bill. 

Thence  they  went  to  Hof,  and  Mord  was  outside  in  the 
field,  and  begged  for  mercy,  and  offered  them  full  atonement. 

Skarphedinn  told  Mord  the  slaying  of  those  four  men, 
and  sang  a  song. 

Four  who  wielded  warlike  weapons 
We  have  slain,  all  men  of  worth, 
Them  at  once,  gold-greedy  fellow, 
Thou  shalt  follow  on  the  spot ; 
Let  us  press  this  pinch-purse  so, 
Pouring  fear  into  his  heart ; 
Wretch  !  reach  out  to  Gunnar's  son 
Right  to  settle  all  disputes. 

"And  the  like  journey/'  says  Skarphedinn,  "shalt  thou 
also  fare,  or  hand  over  to  Hogni  the  right  to  make  his  own 
award,  if  he  will  take  these  terms." 


HOW  KOLSKEGG  WAS  BAPTISED.  143 


Hogni  said  his  mind  had  been  made  up  not  to  come  to 
any  terms  with  the  slayers  of  his  father ;  but  still  at  last  he 
took  the  right  to  make  his  own  award  from  Mord. 


CHAPTER  LXXIX. 

HOGNI  TAKES  AN  ATONEMENT  FOR  GUNNAR'S  DEATH. 

Njal  took  a  share  in  bringing  those  who  had  the  blood-feud 
after  Starkad  and  Thorgeir  to  take  an  atonement,  and  a 
district  meeting  was  called  together,  and  men  were  chosen 
to  make  the  award,  and  every  matter  was  taken  into  account, 
even  the  attack  on  Gunnar,  though  he  was  an  outlaw ;  but 
such  a  fine  as  was  awarded,  all  that  Mord  paid ;  for  they  did 
not  close  their  award  against  him  before  the  other  matter 
was  already  settled,  and  then  they  set  off  one  award  against 
the  other. 

Then  they  were  all  set  at  one  again,  but  at  the  Thing 
there  was  great  talk,  and  the  end  of  it  was,  that  Geir  the 
priest  and  Hogni  were  set  at  one  again,  and  that  atonement 
they  held  to  ever  afterwards. 

Geir  the  priest  dwelt  in  the  Lithe  till  his  death-day,  and 
he  is  out  of  the  story. 

Njal  asked  as  a  wife  for  Hogni  Alfeida  the  daughter  of 
Weatherlid  the  Skald,  and  she  was  given  away  to  him.  Their 
son  was  Ari,  who  sailed  for  Shetland,  and  took  him  a  wife 
there  ;  from  him  is  come  Einar  the  Shetlander,  one  of  the 
briskest  and  boldest  of  men. 

Hogni  kept  up  his  friendship  with  Njal,  and  he  is  now 
out  of  the  story. 


CHAPTER  LXXX. 

OF  KOLSKEGG :  HOW  HE  WAS  BAPTISED. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Kolskegg  how  he  comes  to  Norway, 
and  is  in  the  Bay  east  that  winter.  But  the  summer  after  he 
fares  east  to  Denmark,  and  bound  himself  to  Sweyn  Forkbeard 
the  Dane-king,  and  there  he  had  great  honour. 


144    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


One  night  he  dreamt  that  a  man  came  to  him  ;  he  was 
bright  and  glistening,  and  he  thought  he  woke  him  up.  He 
spoke,  and  said  to  him — 

"  Stand  up  and  come  with  me." 

"  What  wilt  thou  with  me  ?  "  he  asks. 

"  I  will  get  thee  a  bride,  and  thou  shalt  be  my  knight." 

He  thought  he  said  yea  to  that,  and  after  that  he  woke 

up. 

Then  he  went  to  a  wizard  and  told  him  the  dream,  but 
he  read  it  so  that  he  should  fare  to  southern  lands  and  become 
God's  knight. 

Kolskegg  was  baptised  in  Denmark,  but  still  he  could  not 
rest  there,  but  fared  east  to  Russia,  and  was  there  one  winter. 
Then  he  fared  thence  out  to  Micklegarth,1  and  there  took 
service  with  the  Emperor.  The  last  that  was  heard  of  him 
was,  that  he  wedded  a  wife  there,  and  was  captain  over  the 
Varangians,  and  stayed  there  till  his  death-day  ;  and  he,  too, 
is  out  of  this  story. 


CHAPTER  LXXXI. 

OF  THRAIN  :  HOW  HE  SLEW  KOL. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  how  Thrain  Sigfus' 
son  came  to  Norway.  They  made  the  land  north  in  Helgeland, 
and  held  on  south  to  Drontheim,  and  so  to  Hlada.2  But  as 
soon  as  Earl  Hacon  heard  of  that,  he  sent  men  to  them,  and 
would  know  what  men  were  in  the  ship.  They  came  back 
and  told  him  who  the  men  were.  Then  the  Earl  sent  for 
Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and  he  went  to  see  him.  The  Earl  asked 
of  what  stock  he  might  be.  He  said  that  he  was  Gunnar  of 
Lithend's  near  kinsman.    The  Earl  said — 

"That  shall  stand  thee  in  good  stead;  for  I  have  seen 
many  men  from  Iceland,  but  none  his  match." 

"Lord,"  said  Thrain,  "is  it  your  will  that  I  should  be  with 
you  this  winter  ?  " 

1  Constantinople. 

2  Hlada  or  Lada,  and  sometimes  in  the  plural  Ladir,  was  the  old  capital 
of  Drontheim,  before  Nidaros — the  present  Drontheim — was  founded.  Dron- 
theim was  originally  the  name  of  the  country  round  the  firth  of  the  same  name, 
and  is  not  used  in  the  old  Sagas  for  a  town. 


OF  THRAI>  :  HOW  HE  SLEW  KOL.  145 

The  Earl  took  to  him,  and  Thrain  was  there  that  winter, 
and  was  thought  much  of. 

There  was  a  man  named  Kol,  he  was  a  great  sea-rover. 
He  was  the  son  of  Asmund  Ashside,  east  out  of  SmolancL 
He  lay  east  in  the  Gota-Elf,  and  had  five  ships,  and  much  force. 

Thence  Kol  steered  his  course  out  of  the  river  to  Norway, 
and  landed  at  Fold,1  in  the  bight  of  the  "  Bay,"  and  came  on 
Hallvard  Soti  unawares,  and  found  him  in  a  loft.  He  kept 
them  off  bravely  till  they  set  fire  to  the  house,  then  he  gave 
himself  up ;  but  they  slew  him,  and  took  there  much  goods, 
and  sailed  thence  to  Lodese.2 

Earl  Hacon  heard  these  tidings,  and  made  them  make  Kol 
an  outlaw  over  all  his  realm,  and  set  a  price  upon  his  head. 

Once  on  a  time  it  so  happened  that  the  Earl  began  to  speak 
thus — 

"  Too  far  off  from  us  now  is  Gunnar  of  Lithend.  He  would 
slay  my  outlaw  if  he  were  here ;  but  now  the  Icelanders  will 
slay  him,  and  it  is  ill  that  he  hath  not  fared  to  us." 

Then  Thrain  Sigfus'  son  answered — 

M I  am  not  Gunnar,  but  still  I  am  near  akin  to  him,  and 
I  will  undertake  this  voyage." 

The  Earl  said,  "  I  should  be  glad  of  that,  and  thou  shalt  be 
very  well  fitted  out  for  the  journey  ". 

After  that  his  son  Eric  began  to  speak,  and  said — 

"  Your  word,  father,  is  good  to  many  men,  but  fulfilling  it 
is  quite  another  thing.  This  is  the  hardest  undertaking ;  for 
this  sea-rover  is  tough  and  ill  to  deal  with,  wherefore  thou 
wilt  need  to  take  great  pains,  both  as  to  men  and  ships  for  this 
voyage." 

Thrain  said,  "  I  will  set  out  on  this  voyage,  though  it  looks 

After  that  the  Earl  gave  him  five  ships,  and  all  well  trimmed 
and  manned.  Along  with  Thrain  was  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and 
Lambi  Sigurd's  son.  Gunnar  was  Thrain  s  brother's  son,  and 
had  come  to  him  young,  and  each  loved  the  other  much. 

Eric,  the  Earl's  son,  went  heartily  along  writh  them,  and 
looked  after  strength  for  them,  both  in  men  and  weapons,  and 
made  such  changes  in  them  as  he  thought  were  needful.  After 
they  were  "boun,"  Eric  got  them  a  pilot.  Then  they  sailed 
south  along  the  land ;  but  wherever  they  came  to  land,  the 

2The  country  round  the  Christiania  Firth,  at  the  top  of  the  "  Bay  ". 
2  A  town  in  Sweden  on  the  Gota-Elf. 

10 


146    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Earl  allowed  them  to  deal  with  whatever  they  needed  as  their 
own. 

So  they  held  on  east  to  Lodese,  and  then  they  heard  that 
Kol  was  gone  to  Denmark.  Then  they  shaped  their  course 
south  thither  ;  but  when  they  came  south  to  Helsingborg, 
they  met  men  in  a  boat,  who  said  that  Kol  was  there  just 
before  them,  and  would  be  staying  there  for  a  while. 

One  day  when  the  weather  was  good,  Kol  saw  the  ships  as 
they  sailed  up  towards  him,  and  said  he  had  dreamt  of  Earl 
Hacon  the  night  before,  and  told  his  people  he  was  sure  these 
must  be  his  men,  and  bade  them  all  to  take  their  weapons. 

After  that  they  busked  them,  and  a  fight  arose  ;  and  they 
fought  long,  so  that  neither  side  had  the  mastery. 

Then  Kol  sprang  up  on  Thrain's  ship,  and  cleared  the 
gangways  fast,  and  slays  many  men.    He  had  a  gilded  helm. 

Now  Thrain  sees  that  this  is  no  good,  and  now  he  eggs 
on  his  men  to  go  along  with  him,  but  he  himself  goes  first  and 
meets  Kol. 

Kol  hews  at  him,  and  the  blow  fell  on  Thrain's  shield, 
and  cleft  it  down  from  top  to  bottom.  Then  Kol  got  a  blow 
on  the  arm  from  a  stone,  and  then  down  fell  his  sword. 

Thrain  hews  at  Kol,  and  the  stroke  came  on  his  leg  so 
that  it  cut  it  off.  After  that  they  slew  Kol,  and  Thrain  cut 
off  his  head,  and  they  threw  the  trunk  over-board,  but  kept 
his  head. 

There  they  took  much  spoil,  and  then  they  held  on  north 
to  Drontheim,  and  go  to  see  the  Earl. 

The  Earl  gave  Thrain  a  hearty  welcome,  and  he  showed 
the  Earl  Kol's  head,  but  the  Earl  thanked  him  for  that  deed. 

Eric  said  it  was  worth  more  than  words  alone,  and  the  Earl 
said  so  it  was,  and  bade  them  come  along  with  him. 

They  went  thither,  where  the  Earl  had  made  them  make 
a  good  ship  that  was  not  made  like  a  common  long-ship.  It 
had  a  vulture's  head,  and  was  much  carved  and  painted. 

"Thou  art  a  great  man  for  show,  Thrain,"  said  the  Earl, 
"  and  so  have  both  of  you,  kinsmen,  been,  Gunnar  and  thou ; 
and  now  I  will  give  thee  this  ship,  but  it  is  called  the  '  Vulture'. 
Along  with  it  shall  go  my  friendship  ;  and  my  will  is  that  thou 
stayest  with  me  as  long  as  thou  wilt." 

He  thanked  him  for  his  goodness,  and  said  he  had  no  long- 
ing to  go  to  Iceland  just  yet. 

The  Earl  had  a  journey  to  make  to  the  marches  of  the 
land  to  meet  the  Swede-king.    Thrain  went  with  him  that 


NJAL'S  SONS  SAIL  ABROAD.  147 


summer,  and  was  a  shipmaster  and  steered  the  Vulture,  and 
sailed  so  fast  that  few  could  keep  up  with  him,  and  he  was 
much  envied.  But  it  always  came  out  that  the  Earl  laid  great 
store  on  Gunnar,  for  he  set  down  sternly  all  who  tried  Thrain's 
temper. 

So  Thrain  was  all  that  winter  with  the  Earl,  but  next  spring 
the  Earl  asked  Thrain  whether  he  would  stay  there  or  fare  to 
Iceland ;  but  Thrain  said  he  had  not  yet  made  up  his  mind, 
and  said  that  he  wished  first  to  know  tidings  from  Iceland. 

The  Earl  said  that  so  it  should  be  as  he  thought  it  suited 
him  best ;  and  Thrain  was  with  the  Earl. 

Then  those  tidings  were  heard  from  Iceland,  which  many 
thought  great  news,  the  death  of  Gunnar  of  Lithend.  Then 
the  Earl  would  not  that  Thrain  should  fare  out  to  Iceland,  and 
so  there  he  stayed  with  him. 


CHAPTER  LXXXII. 

NJAL'S  SONS  SAIL  ABROAD. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  Njal's  sons,  Grim  and  Helgi,  left 
Iceland  the  same  summer  that  Thrain  and  his  fellows  went 
away ;  and  in  the  ship  with  them  were  Olaf  Kettle's  son  of 
Elda,  and  Bard  the  black.  They  got  so  strong  a  wind  from 
the  north  that  they  were  driven  south  into  the  main ;  and  so 
thick  a  mist  came  over  them  that  they  could  not  tell  whither 
they  were  driving,  and  they  were  out  a  long  while.  At  last 
they  came  to  where  was  a  great  ground  sea,  and  thought  then 
they  must  be  near  land.  So  then  Njal's  sons  asked  Bard  if 
he  could  tell  at  all  to  what  land  they  were  likely  to  be  nearest. 

"Many  lands  there  are,"  said  he,  "which  we  might  hit 
with  the  weather  we  have  had — the  Orkneys,  or  Scotland, 
or  Ireland." 

Two  nights  after,  they  saw  land  on  both  boards,  and  a 
great  surf  running  up  in  the  firth.  They  cast  anchor  outside 
the  breakers,  and  the  wind  began  to  fall ;  and  next  morning 
it  was  calm.  Then  they  see  thirteen  ships  coming  out  to 
them. 

Then  Bard  spoke  and  said,  "What  counsel  shall  we  take 
now,  for  these  men  are  going  to  make  an  onslaught  on  us  ?  " 


148    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


So  they  took  counsel  whether  they  should  defend  them- 
selves or  yield,  but  before  they  could  make  up  their  minds, 
the  Vikings  were  upon  them.  Then  each  side  asked  the 
other  their  names,  and  what  their  leaders  were  called.  So 
the  leaders  of  the  chapmen  told  their  names,  and  asked  back 
who  led  that  host.  One  called  himself  Gritgard,  and  the 
other  Snowcolf,  sons  of  Moldan  of  Duncansby  in  Scotland, 
kinsmen  of  Malcolm  the  Scot  king. 

"And  now,"  says  Gritgard,  "we  have  laid  down  two 
choices,  one  that  ye  go  on  shore,  and  we  will  take  your  goods  ; 
the  other  is,  that  we  fall  on  you  and  slay  every  man  that  we 
can  catch/' 

"The  will  of  the  chapmen,"  answers  Helgi,  "is  to  defend 
themselves." 

But  the  chapmen  called  out,  "Wretch  that  thou  art  to 
speak  thus !  What  defence  can  we  make  ?  Lading  is  less 
than  life." 

But  Grim,  he  fell  upon  a  plan  to  shout  out  to  the  Vikings, 
and  would  not  let  them  hear  the  bad  choice  of  the  chapmen. 

Then  Bard  and  Olaf  said,  "  Think  ye  not  that  these  Ice- 
landers will  make  game  of  you  sluggards ;  take  rather  your 
weapons  and  guard  your  goods ". 

So  they  all  seized  their  weapons,  and  bound  themselves, 
one  with  another,  never  to  give  up  so  long  as  they  had  strength 
to  fight. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIII. 

OF  KARI  SOLMUND'S  SON. 

Then  the  Vikings  shot  at  them  and  the  fight  began,  and  the 
chapmen  guard  themselves  well.  Snowcolf  sprang  aboard  and 
at  Olaf,  and  thrust  his  spear  through  his  body,  but  Grim  thrust 
at  Snowcolf  with  his  spear,  and  so  stoutly,  that  he  fell  over- 
board. Then  Helgi  turned  to  meet  Grim,  and  they  too  drove 
down  all  the  Vikings  as  they  tried  to  board,  and  Njal's  sons 
were  ever  where  there  was  most  need.  Then  the  Vikings 
called  out  to  the  chapmen  and  bade  them  give  up,  but  they 
said  they  would  never  yield.  Just  then  some  one  looked 
seaward,  and  there  they  see  ships  coming  from  the  south 


OF  KARI  SOLMUND'S  SON.  14b 


round  the  Ness,  and  they  were  not  fewer  than  ten,  and  they 
row  hard  and  steer  thitherwards.  Along  their  sides  were 
shield  on  shield,  but  on  that  ship  that  came  first  stood  a  man 
by  the  mast,  who  was  clad  in  a  silken  kirtle,  and  had  a  gilded 
helm,  and  his  hair  was  both  fair  and  thick ;  that  man  had  a 
spear  inlaid  with  gold  in  his  hand. 

He  asked,  "  Who  have  here  such  an  uneven  game  ?  " 

Helgi  tells  his  name,  and  said  that  against  them  are 
Gritgard  and  Snowcolf. 

u  But  who  are  your  captains  ?  "  he  asks. 

Helgi  answered,  "  Bard  the  black,  who  lives,  but  the  other, 
who  is  dead  and  gone,  was  called  Olaf 

"  Are  ye  men  from  Iceland  ?  "  says  he. 

"  Sure  enough  we  are/'  Helgi  answers. 

He  asked  whose  sons  they  were,  and  they  told  him,  then  he 
knew  them  and  said  — 

"  Well  known  names  have  ye  all,  father  and  sons  both." 

"Who  art  thou  ?"  asks  Helgi. 

"  My  name  is  Kari,  and  I  am  Solmund's  son." 

"  Whence  comest  thou  ?  "  says  Helgi. 

"  From  the  Southern  Isles." 

"  Then  thou  art  welcome,"  says  Helgi,  "  if  thou  wilt  give 
us  a  little  help." 

S€  I'll  give  ye  all  the  help  ye  need,"  says  Kari ;  "  but  what 
do  ye  ask  ?  " 

"To  fall  on  them,"  says  Helgi. 

Kari  says  that  so  it  shall  be.  So  they  pulled  up  to  them, 
and  then  the  battle  began  the  second  time ;  but  when  they 
had  fought  a  little  while,  Kari  springs  up  on  Snowcolf  s  ship ; 
he  turns  to  meet  him  and  smites  at  him  with  his  sword.  Kari 
leaps  nimbly  backwards  over  a  beam  that  lay  athwart  the  ship, 
and  Snowcolf  smote  the  beam  so  that  both  edges  of  the  sword 
were  hidden.  Then  Kari  smites  at  him,  and  the  sword  fell  on 
his  shoulder,  and  the  stroke  was  so  mighty  that  he  cleft  in 
twain  shoulder,  arm,  and  all,  and  Snowcolf  got  his  death  there 
and  then.  Gritgard  hurled  a  spear  at  Kari,  but  Kari  saw  it 
and  sprang  up  aloft,  and  the  spear  missed  him.  Just  then 
Helgi  and  Grim  came  up  both  to  meet  Kari,  and  Helgi  -springs 
on  Gritgard  and  thrusts  his  spear  through  him,  and  that  was 
his  death  blow ;  after  that  they  went  round  the  whole  ship  on 
both  boards,  and  then  men  begged  for  mercy.  So  they  gave 
them  all  peace,  but  took  all  their  goods.  After  that  they  ran 
all  the  ships  out  under  the  islands. 


150    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 

OF  EARL  SIGURD. 

Sigurd  was  the  name  of  an  earl  who  ruled  over  the  Orkneys  ; 
he  was  the  son  of  Hlodver,  the  son  of  Thorfinn  the  scull- 
splitter,  the  son  of  Turf-Einar,  the  son  of  Rognvald,  Earl 
of  Mceren,  the  son  of  Eystein  the  noisy.  Kari  was  one  of 
Earl  Sigurd's  body-guard,  and  had  just  been  gathering  scatts 
in  the  Southern  Isles  from  Earl  Gilli.  Now  Kari  asks  them 
to  go  to  Hrossey,1  and  said  the  Earl  would  take  to  them 
well.  They  agreed  to  that,  and  went  with  Kari  and  came 
to  Hrossey.  Kari  led  them  to  see  the  Earl,  and  said  what 
men  they  were. 

"How  came  they,"  says  the  Earl,  "to  fall  upon  thee?" 

u  I  found  them,"  says  Kari,  u  in  Scotland's  Firths,  and  they 
were  fighting  with  the  sons  of  Earl  Moldan,  and  held  their 
own  so  well  that  they  threw  themselves  about  between  the 
bulwarks,  from  side  to  side,  and  were  always  there  where  the 
trial  was  greatest,  and  now  I  ask  you  to  give  them  quarters 
among  your  body-guard." 

"It  shall  be  as  thou  choosest,"  says  the  Earl,  "thou  hast 
already  taken  them  so  much  by  the  hand." 

Then  they  were  there  with  the  Earl  that  winter,  and  were 
worthily  treated,  but  Helgi  was  silent  as  the  winter  wore  on. 
The  Earl  could  not  tell  what  was  at  the  bottom  of  that,  and 
asked  why  he  was  so  silent,  and  what  was  on  his  mind. 
"  Thinkest  thou  it  not  good  to  be  here  ? " 

"  Good,  methinks,  it  is  here,"  he  says. 

"Then  what  art  thou  thinking  about  ?  "  asks  the  Earl. 

"  Hast  thou  any  realm  to  guard  in  Scotland  ?  "  asks  Helgi. 

"So  we  think,"  says  the  Earl,  "but  what  makes  thee 
think  about  that,  or  what  is  the  matter  with  it?" 

"The  Scots,"  says  Helgi,  "must  have  taken  your  steward's 
life,  and  stopped  all  the  messengers,  that  none  should  cross 
the  Pentland  Firth." 

"  Hast  thou  the  second  sight  ?  "  said  the  Earl. 

"That  has  been  little  proved,"  answers  Helgi. 

"Well,"  says  the  Earl,  "I  will  increase  thy  honour  if  this 
be  so,  otherwise  thou  shalt  smart  for  it." 

1  The  mainland  of  Orkney,  now  Pomona. 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  EARLS.  151 


"  Nay,"  says  Kari,  u  Helgi  is  not  that  kind  of  man,  and 
like  enough  his  words  are  sooth,  for  his  father  has  the  second 
sight." 

After  that  the  Earl  sent  men  south  to  Straumey1  to 
Arnljot,  his  steward  there,  and  after  that  Arnljot  sent  them 
across  the  Pentland  Firth,  and  they  spied  out  and  learnt  that 
Earl  Hundi  and  Earl  Melsnati  had  taken  the  life  of  Havard 
in  Thraswick,  Earl  Sigurd's  brother-in-law.  So  Arnljot  sent 
word  to  Earl  Sigurd  to  come  south  with  a  great  host  and 
drive  those  earls  out  of  his  realm,  and  as  soon  as  the  Earl 
heard  that,  he  gathered  together  a  mighty  host  from  all  the 
isles. 


CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  EARLS. 

After  that  the  Earl  set  out  south  with  his  host,  and  Kari 
went  with  him,  and  Njal's  sons  too.  They  came  south  to 
Caithness.  The  Earl  had  these  realms  in  Scotland,  Ross  and 
Moray,  Sutherland,  and  the  Dales.  There  came  to  meet 
them  men  from  those  realms,  and  said  that  the  Earls  were 
a  short  way  off  with  a  great  host.  Then  Earl  Sigurd  turns 
his  host  thither,  and  the  name  of  that  place  is  Duncansness, 
above  which  they  met,  and  it  came  to  a  great  battle  between 
them.  Now  the  Scots  had  let  some  of  their  host  go  free  from 
the  main  battle,  and  these  took  the  Earl's  men  in  flank,  and 
many  men  fell  there  till  Njal's  sons  turned  against  the  foe, 
and  fought  with  them  and  put  them  to  flight ;  but  still  it 
was  a  hard  fight,  and  then  Njal's  sons  turned  back  to  the 
front  by  the  Earl's  standard,  and  fought  well.  Now  Kari 
turns  to  meet  Earl  Melsnati,  and  Melsnati  hurled  a  spear  at 
him,  but  Kari  caught  the  spear  and  threw  it  back  and  through 
the  Earl.  Then  Earl  Hundi  fled,  but  they  chased  the  fleers 
until  they  learnt  that  Malcolm  was  gathering  a  host  at 
Duncansby.  Then  the  Earl  took  counsel  with  his  men,  and 
it  seemed  to  all  the  best  plan  to  turn  back,  and  not  to  fight 
with  such  a  mighty  land  force ;  so  they  turned  back.  But 
when  the  Earl  came  to  Straumey  they  snared  the  battle-  spoil. 
After  that  he  went  north  to  Hrossey,  and  Njal's  sons  and 

1  Now  Stroma,  in  the  Pentland  Firth. 


152    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Kari  followed  him.  Then  the  Earl  made  a  great  feast,  and 
at  that  feast  he  gave  Kari  a  good  sword,  and  a  spear  inlaid 
with  gold ;  but  he  gave  Helgi  a  gold  ring  and  a  mantle,  and 
Grim  a  shield  and  sword.  After  that  he  took  Helgi  and  Grim 
into  his  body-guard,  and  thanked  them  for  their  good  help. 
They  were  with  the  Earl  that  winter  and  the  summer  after, 
till  Kari  went  sea-roving ;  then  they  went  with  him,  and 
harried  far  and  wide  that  summer,  and  everywhere  won  the 
victory.  They  fought  against  Godred,  King  of  Man,  and 
conquered  him ;  and  after  that  they  fared  back,  and  had 
gotten  much  goods.  Next  winter  they  were  still  with  the 
Earl,  and  when  the  spring  came  Njal's  sons  asked  leave  to  go 
to  Norway.  The  Earl  said  they  should  go  or  not  as  they 
pleased,  and  he  gave  them  a  good  ship  and  smart  men.  As 
for  Kari,  he  said  he  must  come  that  summer  to  Norway  with 
Earl  Hacon's  scatts,  and  then  they  would  meet ;  and  so  it  fell 
out  that  they  gave  each  other  their  word  to  meet.  After 
that  Njal's  sons  put  out  to  sea  and  sailed  for  Norway,  and 
made  the  land  north  near  Drontheim. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVI. 

HRAPP'S  VOYAGE  FROM  ICELAND. 


There  was  a  man  named  Kolbein,  and  his  surname  was 
Arnljot's  son ;  he  was  a  man  from  Drontheim ;  he  sailed  out 
to  Iceland  that  same  summer  in  which  Kolskegg  and  Njal's 
sons  went  abroad.  He  was  that  winter  east  in  Broaddale ; 
but  the  spring  after,  he  made  his  ship  ready  for  sea  in  Gauta- 
wick ;  and  when  men  were  almost  "  boun,"  a  man  rowed  up 
to  them  in  a  boat,  and  made  the  boat  fast  to  the  ship,  and 
afterwards  he  went  on  board  the  ship  to  see  Kolbein. 

Kolbein  asked  that  man  for  his  name. 

"  My  name  is  Hrapp,"  says  he. 

"What  wilt  thou  with  me  ?"  says  Kolbein. 

"  I  wish  to  ask  thee  to  put  me  across  the  Iceland  main." 

"  Whose  son  art  thou  ?  "  asks  Kolbein. 

"  I  am  a  son  of  Aurgunleid,  the  son  of  Geirolf  the  fighter." 

"  What  need  lies  on  thee,"  asked  Kolbein,  "  to  drive  thee 
abroad  ?  " 


HRAPP'S  VOYAGE  FROM  ICELAND.  153 


"  I  have  slain  a  man/'  says  Hrapp. 

"What  manslaughter  was  that/'  says  Kolbein,  "and  what 
men  have  the  blood-feud  ?  " 

"The  men  of  Weapdnfirth,"  says  Hrapp,  "but  the  man 
I  slew  was  Aurlyg,  the  son  of  Aurlyg,  the  son  of  Roger  the 
white." 

"  I  guess  this/'  says  Kolbein,  "  that  he  will  have  the  worst 
of  it  who  bears  thee  abroad." 

"  I  am  the  friend  of  my  friend/'  said  Hrapp,  "  but  when 
ill  is  done  to  me  I  repay  it.  Nor  am  I  short  of  money  to  lay 
down  for  my  passage." 

Then  Kolbein  took  Hrapp  on  board,  and  a  little  while 
after  a  fair  breeze  sprung  up,  and  they  sailed  away  on  the 
sea. 

Hrapp  ran  short  of  food  at  sea,  and  then  he  sate  him 
down  at  the  mess  of  those  who  were  nearest  to  him.  They 
sprang  up  with  ill  words,  and  so  it  was  that  they  came  to 
blows,  and  Hrapp,  in  a  trice,  has  two  men  under  him. 

Then  Kolbein  was  told,  and  he  bade  Hrapp  to  come  and 
share  his  mess,  and  he  accepted  that. 

Now  they  come  off  the  sea,  and  lie  outside  off  Agdirness. 

Then  Kolbein  asked  where  that  money  was  which  he  had 
offered  to  pay  for  his  fare  ? 

"  It  is  out  in  Iceland,"  answers  Hrapp. 

"Thou  wilt  beguile  more  men  than  me,  I  fear,"  says 
Kolbein;  "but  now  I  will  forgive  thee  all  the  fare." 

Hrapp  bade  him  have  thanks  for  that.  "  But  what  counsel 
dost  thou  give  as  to  what  I  ought  to  do  ?  " 

"That  first  of  all,"  he  says,  "that  thou  goest  from  the 
ship  as  soon  as  ever  thou  canst,  for  all  Easterlings  will  bear 
thee  bad  witness  ;  but  there  is  yet  another  bit  of  good  counsel 
which  I  will  give  thee,  and  that  is,  never  to  cheat  thy  master." 

Then  Hrapp  went  on  shore  with  his  weapons,  and  he  had 
a  great  axe  with  an  iron-bound  haft  in  his  hand. 

He  fares  on  and  on  till  he  comes  to  Gudbrand  of  the 
Dale.  He  was  the  greatest  friend  of  Earl  Hacon.  They 
two  had  a  shrine  between  them,  and  it  was  never  opened  but 
when  the  Earl  came  thither.  That  was  the  second  greatest 
shrine  in  Norway,  but  the  other  was  at  Hlada. 

Thrand  was  the  name  of  Gudbrand's  son,  but  his  daughter's 
name  was  Gudruna. 

Hrapp  went  in  before  Gudbrand,  and  hailed  him  well. 

He  asked  whence  he  came  and  what  was  his  name.  Hrapp 


154    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


told  him  about  himself,  and  how  he  had  sailed  abroad  from 
Iceland. 

After  that  he  asks  Gudbrand  to  take  him  into  his  house- 
hold as  a  guest. 

"  It  does  not  seem/'  said  Gudbrand,  "  to  look  on  thee,  as 
though  thou  wert  a  man  to  bring  good  luck." 

"Methinks,  then/'  says  Hrapp,  "that  all  I  have  heard 
about  thee  has  been  great  lies  ;  for  it  is  said  that  thou  takest 
every  one  into  thy  house  that  asks  thee  ;  and  that  no  man  is 
thy  match  for  goodness  and  kindness,  far  or  near ;  but  now  I 
shall  have  to  speak  against  that  saying,  if  thou  dost  not  take 
me  in." 

"Well,  thou  shalt  stay  here,"  said  Gudbrand. 

"To  what  seat  wilt  thou  show  me  ?  "  says  Hrapp. 

"To  one  on  the  lower  bench,  over  against  my  high  seat." 

Then  Hrapp  went  and  took  his  seat.  He  was  able  to  tell 
of  many  things,  and  so  it  was  at  first  that  Gudbrand  and  many 
thought  it  sport  to  listen  to  him ;  but  still  it  came  about  that 
most  men  thought  him  too  much  given  to  mocking,  and  the 
end  of  it  was  that  he  took  to  talking  alone  with  Gudruna,  so 
that  many  said  that  he  meant  to  beguile  her. 

But  when  Gudbrand  was  aware  of  that,  he  scolded  her 
much  for  daring  to  talk  alone  with  him,  and  bade  her  beware 
of  speaking  aught  to  him  if  the  whole  household  did  not  hear 
it.  She  gave  her  word  to  be  good  at  first,  but  still  it  was  soon 
the  old  story  over  again  as  to  their  talk.  Then  Gudbrand  got 
Asvard,  his  overseer,  to  go  about  with  her,  out  of  doors  and  in, 
and  to  be  with  her  wherever  she  went.  One  day  it  happened 
that  she  begged  for  leave  to  go  into  the  nut-wood  for  a  pas- 
time, and  Asvard  went  along  with  her.  Hrapp  goes  to  seek 
for  them  and  found  them,  and  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  led 
her  away  alone. 

Then  Asvard  went  to  look  for  her,  and  found  them  both 
together  stretched  on  the  grass  in  a  thicket. 

He  rushes  at  them,  axe  in  air,  and  smote  at  Hrapp's  leg, 
but  Hrapp  gave  himself  a  second  turn,  and  he  missed  him. 
Hrapp  springs  on  his  feet  as  quick  as  he  can,  and  caught 
up  his  axe.  Then  Asvard  wished  to  turn  and  get  away,  but 
Hrapp  hewed  asunder  his  back-bone. 

Then  Gudruna  said,  "  Now  hast  thou  done  that  deed  which 
will  hinder  thy  stay  any  longer  with  my  father  ;  but  still  there 
is  something  behind  which  he  will  like  still  less,  for  I  go  with 
child  ". 


HRAPFS  VOYAGE  FROM  ICELAND.  155 

"He  shall  not  learn  this  from  others/'  says  Hrapp,  "but 
I  will  go  home  and  tell  him  both  these  tidings." 

"Then/'  she  says,  "thou  will  not  come  away  with  thy  life." 
"  I  will  run  the  risk  of  that/'  he  says. 

After  that  he  sees  her  back  to  the  other  women,  but  he 
went  home.  Gudbrand  sat  in  his  high  seat,  and  there  were  few 
men  in  the  hall. 

Hrapp  went  in  before  him,  and  bore  his  axe  high. 

u  Why  is  thine  axe  bloody  ?  "  asks  Gudbrand. 

"  I  made  it  so  by  doing  a  piece  of  work  on  thy  overseer 
Asvard's  back,"  says  Hrapp. 

"That  can  be  no  good  work,"  says  Gudbrand  ;  "thou  must 
have  slain  him." 

"  So  it  is,  be  sure,"  says  Hrapp. 

"What  did  ye  fall  out  about?"  asks  Gudbrand. 

"Oh!"  says  Hrapp^  "what  you  would  think  small  cause 
enough.    He  wanted  to  hew  off  my  leg." 

"  What  hast  thou  done  first  ?  "  asked  Gudbrand. 

"Wliat  he  had  no  right  to  medd]e  with,"  says  Hrapp. 

"Still  thou  wilt  tell  me  what  it  was." 

"  Well ! "  said  Hrapp,  "  if  thou  must  know,  I  lay  by  thy 
daughter's  side,  and  he  thought  that  bad." 

"Up  men!"  cried  Gudbrand,  "and  take  him.  He  shall 
be  slain  out  of  hand." 

"Very  little  good  wilt  thou  let  me  reap  of  my  son-in-law- 
ship,"  says  Hrapp,  "  but  thou  hast  not  so  many  men  at  thy 
back  as  to  do  that  speedily." 

Up  they  rose,  but  he  sprang  out  of  doors.  They  run  after 
him,  but  he  got  away  to  the  wood,  and  they  could  not  lay  hold 
of  him. 

Then  Gudbrand  gathers  people,  and  lets  the  wood  be 
searched ;  but  they  find  him  not,  for  the  wood  was  great  and 
thick. 

Hrapp  fares  through  the  wood  till  he  came  to  a  clearing ; 
there  he  found  a  house,  and  saw  a  man  outside  cleaving  wood. 

He  asked  that  man  for  his  name,  and  he  said  his  name  was 
Ton. 

Tofi  asked  him  for  his  name  in  turn,  and  Hrapp  told  him 
his  true  name. 

Hrapp  asked  why  the  householder  had  set  up  his  abode  so 
far  from  other  men  ? 

"  For  that  here,"  he  says,  "  I  think  I  am  less  likely  to  have 
brawls  with  other  men." 


156    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  It  is  strange  how  we  beat  about  the  bush  in  our  talk/' 
says  Hrapp,  "  but  I  will  first  tell  thee  who  I  am.  I  have  been 
with  Gudbrand  of  the  Dale,  but  I  ran  away  thence  because  I 
slew  his  overseer ;  but  now  I  know  that  we  are  both  of  us  bad 
men ;  for  thou  wouldst  not  have  come  hither  away  from  other 
men  unless  thou  wert  some  mans  outlaw.  And  now  I  give 
thee  two  choices,  either  that  I  will  tell  where  thou  art,1  or 
that  we  two  have  between  us,  share  and  share  alike,  all  that  is 
here." 

"  This  is  even  as  thou  sayest,"  said  the  householder ;  "  I 
seized  and  carried  off  this  woman  who  is  here  with  me,  and 
many  men  have  sought  for  me." 

Then  he  led  Hrapp  in  with  him  ;  there  was  a  small  house 
there,  but  well  built. 

The  master  of  the  house  told  his  mistress  that  he  had  taken 
Hrapp  into  his  company. 

u  Most  men  will  get  ill  luck  from  this  man,"  she  says ;  "  but 
thou  wilt  have  thy  way." 

So  Hrapp  was  there  after  that.  He  was  a  great  wanderer, 
and  was  never  at  home.  He  still  brings  about  meetings  with 
Gudruna ;  her  father  and  brother,  Thrand  and  Gudbrand,  lay 
in  wait  for  him,  but  they  could  never  get  nigh  him,  and  so  all 
that  year  passed  away. 

Gudbrand  sent  and  told  Earl  Hacon  what  trouble  he  had 
had  with  Hrapp,  and  the  Earl  let  him  be  made  an  outlaw,  and 
laid  a  price  upon  his  head.  He  said  too,  that  he  would  go 
himself  to  look  after  him ;  but  that  passed  off,  and  the  Earl 
thought  it  easy  enough  for  them  to  catch  him  when  he  went 
about  so  unwarily. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVII. 

THRAIN  TOOK  TO  HRAPP. 

That  same  summer  NjaFs  sons  fared  to  Norway  from  the 
Orkneys,  as  was  before  written,  and  they  were  there  at  the 
fair  during  the  summer.  Then  Thrain  Sigfus'  son  busked  his 
ship  for  Iceland,  and  was  all  but  "boun  ".  At  that  time  Earl 
Hacon  went  to  a  feast  at  Gudbrand' s  house.     That  night 

1  By  so  doing  Hrapp  would  have  cleared  himself  of  his  own  outlawry. 


THRAIN  TOOK  TO  HRAPP.  157 


Killing-Hrapp  came  to  the  shrine  of  Earl  Hacon  and  Gud- 
brand, and  he  went  inside  the  house,  and  there  he  saw 
Thorgerda  Shrinebride  sitting,  and  she  was  as  tall  as  a  full- 
grown  man.  She  had  a  great  gold  ring  on  her  arm,  and  a 
wimple  on  her  head  ;  he  strips  her  of  her  wimple,  and  takes 
the  gold  ring  from  off  her.  Then  he  sees  Thor's  car,  and  takes 
from  him  a  second  gold  ring ;  a  third  he  took  from  Irpa ;  and 
then  dragged  them  all  out,  and  spoiled  them  of  all  their 
gear. 

After  that  he  laid  fire  to  the  shrine,  and  burnt  it  down,  and 
then  he  goes  away  just  as  it  began  to  dawn.  He  walks  across 
a  ploughed  field,  and  there  six  men  sprung  up  with  weapons, 
and  fall  upon  him  at  once ;  but  he  made  a  stout  defence,  and 
the  end  of  the  business  was  that  he  slays  three  men,  but 
wounds  Thrand  to  the  death,  and  drives  two  to  the  woods,  so 
that  they  could  bear  no  news  to  the  Earl.  He  then  went  up 
to  Thrand  and  said — 

"  It  is  now  in  my  power  to  slay  thee  if  I  will,  but  I  will  not 
do  that ;  and  now  I  will  set  more  store  by  the  ties  that  are 
between  us  than  ye  have  shown  to  me." 

Now  Hrapp  means  to  turn  back  to  the  wood,  but  now  he 
sees  that  men  have  come  beween  him  and  the  wood,  so  he 
dares  not  venture  to  turn  thither,  but  lays  him  down  in  a 
thicket,  and  so  lies  there  a  while. 

Earl  Hacon  and  Gudbrand  went  that  morning  early  to 
the  shrine  and  found  it  burnt  down ;  but  the  three  gods  were 
outside,  stripped  of  all  their  bravery. 

Then  Gudbrand  began  to  speak,  and  said — 

"  Much  might  is  given  to  our  gods,  when  here  they  have 
walked  of  themselves  out  of  the  fire  !" 

"  The  gods  can  have  naught  to  do  with  it,"  says  the  Earl ; 
"  a  man  must  have  burnt  the  shrine,  and  borne  the  gods  out ; 
but  the  gods  do  not  avenge  everything  on  the  spot.  That 
man  who  has  done  this  will  no  doubt  be  driven  away  out  of 
Valhalla,  and  never  come  in  thither/' 

Just  then  up  ran  four  of  the  Earl's  men,  and  told  them 
ill  tidings  \  for  they  said  they  had  found  three  men  slain  in 
the  field,  and  Thrand  wounded  to  the  death. 

"  Who  can  have  done  this  ?  "  says  the  Earl. 

"  Killing-Hrapp,"  they  say. 

"  Then  he  must  have  burnt  down  the  shrine,"  says  the 
Earl. 

They  said  they  thought  he  was  like  enough  to  have  done  it. 


158    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  And  where  may  he  be  now  ?  "  says  the  Earl. 

They  said  that  Thrand  had  told  them  that  he  had  laid 
down  in  a  thicket. 

The  Earl  goes  thither  to  look  for  him,  but  Hrapp  was  off 
and  away.  Then  the  Earl  set  his  men  to  search  for  him,  but 
still  they  could  not  find  him.  So  the  Earl  was  in  the  hue 
and  cry  himself,  but  first  he  bade  them  rest  a  while. 

Then  the  Earl  went  aside  by  himself,  away  from  other 
men,  and  bade  that  no  man  should  follow  him,  and  so  he 
stays  a  while.  He  fell  down  on  both  his  knees,  and  held  his 
hands  before  his  eyes  ;  after  that  he  went  back  to  them,  and 
then  he  said  to  them,  "  Come  with  me 

So  they  went  along  with  him.  He  turns  short  away  from 
the  path  on  which  they  had  walked  before,  and  they  came  to 
a  dell.  There  up  sprang  Hrapp  before  them,  and  there  it 
was  that  he  had  hidden  himself  at  first. 

The  Earl  urges  on  his  men  to  run  after  him,  but  Hrapp 
was  so  swift-footed  that  they  never  came  near  him.  Hrapp 
made  for  Hlada.  There  both  Thrain  and  Njal's  sons  lay 
"  boun "  for  sea  at  the  same  time.  Hrapp  runs  to  where 
NjaFs  sons  are. 

"  Help  me,  like  good  men  and  true,"  he  said,  "  for  the 
Earl  will  slay  me." 

Helgi  looked  at  him  and  said — 

"Thou  lookest  like  an  unlucky  man,  and  the  man  who 
will  not  take  thee  in  will  have  the  best  of  it." 

"Would  that  the  worst  might  befall  you  from  me,"  says 
Hrapp. 

"  I  am  the  man/'  says  Helgi,  "  to  avenge  me  on  thee  for 
this  as  time  rolls  on." 

Then  Hrapp  turned  to  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and  bade  him 
shelter  him. 

"What  hast  thou  on  thy  hand  ?"  says  Thrain. 

"I  have  burnt  a  shrine  under  the  Earl's  eyes,  and  slain 
some  men,  and  now  he  will  be  here  speedily,  for  he  has  joined 
in  the  hue  and  cry  himself." 

"  It  hardly  beseems  me  to  do  this,"  says  Thrain,  "  when 
the  Earl  has  done  me  so  much  good." 

Then  he  showed  Thrain  the  precious  things  which  he  had 
borne  out  of  the  shrine,  and  offered  to  give  him  the  goods, 
but  Thrain  said  he  could  not  take  them  unless  he  gave  him 
other  goods  of  the  same  worth  for  them. 

"Then,"  said  Hrapp,  "here  will  I  take  my  stand,  and 


THEAIN  TOOK  TO  HRAPP.  159 


here  shall  I  be  slain  before  thine  eyes,  and  then  thou  wilt  have 
to  abide  by  every  man's  blame." 

Then  they  see  the  Earl  and  his  band  of  men  coming,  and 
then  Thrain  took  Hrapp  under  his  safeguard,  and  let  them 
shove  off  the  boat,  and  put  out  to  his  ship. 

Then  Thrain  said,  "  Now  this  will  be  thy  best  hiding  place, 
to  knock  out  the  bottoms  of  two  casks,  and  then  thou  shalt 
get  into  them 

So  it  was  done,  and  he  got  into  the  casks,  and  then  they 
were  lashed  together,  and  lowered  overboard. 

Then  comes  the  Earl  with  his  band  to  Njal's  sons,  and 
asked  if  Hrapp  had  come  there. 

They  said  that  he  had  come. 

The  Earl  asked  whither  he  had  gone  thence. 

They  said  they  had  not  kept  eyes  on  him,  and  could  not  say. 

"  He/'  said  the  Earl,  "  should  have  great  honour  from  me 
who  would  tell  me  where  Hrapp  was." 

Then  Grim  said  softly  to  Helgi — 

"  Why  should  we  not  say,  What  know  I  whether  Thrain 
will  repay  us  with  any  good  ?  " 

H  We  should  not  tell  a  whit  more  for  that,"  says  Helgi, 
"  when  his  life  lies  at  stake." 

"  Maybe,"  said  Grim,  "  the  Earl  will  turn  his  vengeance 
on  us,  for  he  is  so  wroth  that  some  one  will  have  to  fall  before 
him." 

"That  must  not  move  us,"  says  Helgi,  "but  still  we  will 
pull  our  ship  out,  and  so  away  to  sea  as  soon  as  ever  we  get 
a  wind." 

So  they  rowed  out  under  an  isle  that  lay  there,  and  wait 
there  for  a  fair  breeze. 

The  Earl  went  about  among  the  sailors,  and  tried  them  all, 
but  they,  one  and  all,  denied  that  they  knew  aught  of  Hrapp. 

Then  the  Earl  said,  "  Now  we  will  go  to  Thrain,  my 
brother-in-arms,  and  he  will  give  Hrapp  up,  if  he  knows  any- 
thing of  him  ". 

After  that  they  took  a  long-ship  and  went  off  to  the 
merchant  ship. 

Thrain  sees  the  Earl  coming,  and  stands  up  and  greets  him 
kindly.    The  Earl  took  his  greeting  well  and  spoke  thus — 

"  We  are  seeking  for  a  man  whose  name  is  Hrapp,  and  he 
is  an  Icelander.  He  has  done  us  all  kind  of  ill ;  and  now  we 
will  ask  you  to  be  good  enough  to  give  him  up,  or  to  tell  us 
where  he  is." 


160    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Ye  know,  Lord/'  said  Thrain,  "  that  I  slew  your  outlaw, 
and  then  put  my  life  in  peril,  and  for  that  I  had  of  you  great 
honour." 

"  More  honour  shalt  thou  now  have,"  says  the  Earl. 

Now  Thrain  thought  within  himself,  and  could  not  make 
up  his  mind  how  the  Earl  would  take  it,  so  he  denies  that 
Hrapp  is  there,  and  bade  the  Earl  to  look  for  him.  He  spent 
little  time  on  that,  and  went  on  land  alone,  away  from  other 
men,  and  was  then  very  wroth,  so  that  no  man  dared  to  speak 
to  him. 

"  Show  me  to  Njal's  sons,"  said  the  Earl,  "  and  I  will  force 
them  to  tell  me  the  truth." 

Then  he  was  told  that  they  had  put  out  of  the  harbour. 

"  Then  there  is  no  help  for  it,"  says  the  Earl,  "  but  still 
there  were  two  water-casks  alongside  of  Thrain's  ship,  and 
in  them  a  man  may  well  have  been  hid,  and  if  Thrain  has 
hidden  him,  there  he  must  be  ;  and  now  we  will  go  a  second 
time  to  see  Thrain." 

Thrain  sees  that  the  Earl  means  to  put  off  again  and 
said — 

"  However  wroth  the  Earl  was  last  time,  now  he  will  be 
half  as  wroth  again,  and  now  the  life  of  every  man  on  board 
the  ship  lies  at  stake." 

They  all  gave  their  words  to  hide  the  matter,  for  they 
were  all  sore  afraid.  Then  they  took  some  sacks  out  of  the 
lading,  and  put  Hrapp  down  into  the  hold  in  their  stead,  and 
other  sacks  that  were  light  were  laid  over  him. 

Now  comes  the  Earl,  just  as  they  were  done  stowing  Hrapp 
away.  Thrain  greeted  the  Earl  well.  The  Earl  was  rather 
slow  to  return  it,  and  they  saw  that  the  Earl  was  very  wroth. 

Then  said  the  Earl  to  Thrain — 

"  Give  thou  up  Hrapp,  for  I  am  quite  sure  that  thou  hast 
hidden  him." 

u  Where  shall  I  have  hidden  him,  Lord  ?  "  says  Thrain. 

"That  thou  knowest  best,"  says  the  Earl;  "but  if  I  must 
guess,  then  I  think  that  thou  hiddest  him  in  the  water-casks  a 
while  ago." 

"  Well !  "  says  Thrain,  "  I  would  rather  not  be  taken  for  a 
liar,  far  sooner  would  I  that  ye  should  search  the  ship." 

Then  the  Earl  went  on  board  the  ship  and  hunted  and 
hunted,  but  found  him  not. 

"  Dost  thou  speak  me  free  now  ?  "  says  Thrain. 

"Far  from  it,"  says  the  Earl,  "and  yet  I  cannot  tell  why 


THRAIN  TOOK  TO  HRAPP.  161 


we  cannot  find  him,,  but  methinks  I  see  through  it  all  when 
I  come  on  shore,  but  when  I  come  here,  I  can  see  nothing." 

With  that  he  made  them  row  him  ashore.  He  was  so 
wroth  that  there  was  no  speaking  to  him.  His  son  Sweyn 
was  there  with  him,  and  he  said,  "  A  strange  turn  of  mind  this 
to  let  guiltless  men  smart  for  one's  wrath !  " 

Then  the  Earl  went  away  alone  aside  from  other  men,  and 
after  that  he  went  back  to  them  at  once,  and  said — 

"  Let  us  row  out  to  them  again,"  and  they  did  so. 

"  Where  can  he  have  been  hidden  ? "  says  Sweyn. 

"  There's  not  much  good  in  knowing  that,"  says  the  Earl, 
"  for  now  he  will  be  away  thence  ;  two  sacks  lay  there  by  the 
rest  of  the  lading,  and  Hrapp  must  have  come  into  the  lading 
in  their  place." 

Then  Thrain  began  to  speak,  and  said — 

"  They  are  running  off  the  ship  again,  and  they  must  mean 
to  pay  us  another  visit.  Now  we  will  take  him  out  of  the 
lading,  and  stow  other  things  in  his  stead,  but  let  the  sacks 
still  lie  loose.    They  did  so,  and  then  Thrain  spoke — 

"  Now  let  us  fold  Hrapp  in  the  sail." 

It  was  then  brailed  up  to  the  yard,  and  they  did  so. 

Then  the  Earl  comes  to  Thrain  and  his  men,  and  he  was 
very  wroth,  and  said,  "Wilt  thou  now  give  up  the  man,  Thrain  ?" 
and  he  is  worse  now  than  before. 

"I  would  have  given  him  up  long  ago,"  answers  Thrain, 
"if  he  had  been  in  my  keeping,  or  where  can  he  have  been  ?" 

"  In  the  lading,"  says  the  Earl. 

"Then  why  did  ye  not  seek  him  there  ?  "  says  Thrain. 
"That  never  came  into  our  mind,"  says  the  Earl. 
After  that  they  sought  him  over  all  the  ship,  and  found 
him  not. 

"Will  you  now  hold  me  free  ?  "  says  Thrain. 

"  Surely  not,"  says  the  Earl,  "  for  I  know  that  thou  hast 
hidden  away  the  man,  though  I  find  him  not ;  but  I  would 
rather  that  thou  shouldest  be  a  dastard  to  me  than  I  to  thee," 
says  the  Earl,  and  then  they  went  on  shore. 

"Now,"  says  the  Earl,  "I  seem  to  see  that  Thrain  has 
hidden  away  Hrapp  in  the  sail." 

Just  then  up  sprung  a  fair  breeze,  and  Thrain  and  his  men 
sailed  out  to  sea.  He  then  spoke  these  words  which  have  long 
been  held  in  mind  since — 

Let  us  make  the  Vulture  fly, 
Nothing  now  gars  Thrain  flinch. 
11 


162    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


But  when  the  Earl  heard  of  Thrain' s  words,  then  he  said — 

"'Tis  not  my  want  of  foresight  which  caused  this,  but  rather 
their  ill-fellowship,  which  will  drag  them  both  to  death." 

Thrain  was  a  short  time  out  on  the  sea,  and  so  came  to 
Iceland,  and  fared  home  to  his  house.  Hrapp  went, along  with 
Thrain,  and  was  with  him  that  year ;  but  the  spring  after,  Thrain 
got  him  a  homestead  at  Hrappstede,  and  he  dwelt  there  ;  but 
yet  he  spent  most  of  his  time  at  Gritwater.  He  was  thought 
to  spoil  everything  there,  and  some  men  even  said  that  he  was 
too  good  friends  with  Hallgerda,  and  that  he  led  her  astray, 
but  some  spoke  against  that. 

Thrain  gave  the  Vulture  to  his  kinsman,  Mord  the  reck- 
less ;  that  Mord  slew  Oddi  Haldor's  son,  east  in  Gautawick  by 
Berufirth. 

All  Thrain' s  kinsmen  looked  on  him  as  a  chief. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 

EARL  HACON  FIGHTS  WITH  NJAL'S  SONS. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  how,  when  Earl 
Hacon  missed  Thrain,  he  spoke  to  Sweyn  his  son,  and  said — 

"  Let  us  take  four  long-ships,  and  let  us  fare  against  Njal's 
sons  and  slay  them,  for  they  must  have  known  all  about  it  with 
Thrain." 

"  'Tis  not  good  counsel,"  says  Sweyn,  "  to  throw  the  blame 
on  guiltless  men,  but  to  let  him  escape  who  is  guilty." 

"  I  shall  have  my  way  in  this,"  says  the  Earl. 

Now  they  hold  on  after  Njal's  sons,  and  seek  for  them,  and 
find  them  under  an  island. 

Grim  first  saw  the  Earl's  ships  and  said  to  Helgi — 

"  Here  are  war  ships  sailing  up,  and  I  see  that  here  is  the 
Earl,  and  he  can  mean  to  offer  us  no  peace." 

"  It  is  said,"  said  Helgi,  "  that  he  is  the  boldest  man  who 
holds  his  own  against  all  comers,  and  so  we  will  defend  our- 
selves." 

They  all  bade  him  take  the  course  he  thought  best,  and 
then  they  took  to  their  arms. 

Now  the  Earl  comes  up  and  called  out  to  them,  and  bade 
them  give  themselves  up. 


EARL  HACON  FIGHTS  NJAL'S  SONS.  163 


Helgi  said  that  they  would  defend  themselves  so  long  as 
they  could. 

Then  the  Earl  offered  peace  and  quarter  to  all  who  would 
neither  defend  themselves  nor  Helgi ;  but  Helgi  was  so  much 
beloved  that  all  said  they  would  rather  die  with  him. 

Then  the  Earl  and  his  men  fall  on  therm  but  they  defended 
themselves  well,  and  Njal's  sons  were  ever  where  there  was 
most  need.  The  Earl  often  offered  peace,  but  they  all  made 
the  same  answer,  and  said  they  would  never  yield. 

Then  Aslak  of  Longisle  pressed  them  hard,  and  came  on 
board  their  ship  thrice.    Then  Grim  said — 

"  Thou  pressest  on  hard,  and  'twere  well  that  thou  gettest 
what  thou  seekest ; "  and  with  that  he  snatched  up  a  spear 
and  hurled  it  at  him,  and  hit  him  under  the  chin,  and  Aslak 
got  his  death  wound  there  and  then. 

A  little  after,  Helgi  slew  Egil  the  Earl's  banner-bearer. 

Then  Sweyn,  Earl  Hacon's  son,  fell  on  them,  and  made 
men  hem  them  in  and  bear  them  down  with  shields,  and  so 
they  were  taken  captive. 

The  Earl  was  for  letting  them  all  be  slain  at  once,  but 
Sweyn  said  that  should  not  be,  and  said  too  that  it  was  night. 

Then  the  Earl  said,  "  Well,  then,  slay  them  to-morrow,  but 
bind  them  fast  to-night 

"So,  I  ween,  it  must  be,"  says  Sweyn;  "but  never  yet 
have  I  met  brisker  men  than  these,  and  I  call  it  the  greatest 
manscathe  to  take  their  lives.' ' 

"They  have  slain  two  of  our  briskest  men,"  said  the  Earl, 
"and  for  that  they  shall  be  slain." 

"  Because  they  were  brisker  men  themselves,"  says  Sweyn  ; 
"but  still  in  this  it  must  be  done  as  thou  wiliest." 

So  they  were  bound  and  fettered. 

After  that  the  Earl  fell  asleep ;  but  when  all  men  slept, 
Grim  spoke  to  Helgi,  and  said,  "Away  would  I  get  if  I 
could  ". 

"  Let  us  try  some  trick  then,"  says  Helgi. 

Grim  sees  that  there  lies  an  axe  edge  up,  so  Grim  crawled 
thither,  and  gets  the  bowstring  which  bound  him  cut  asunder 
against  the  axe,  but  still  he  got  great  wounds  on  his  arms. 

Then  he  set  Helgi  loose,  and  after  that  they  crawled  over 
the  ship's  side,  and  got  on  shore,  so  that  neither  Hacon  nor 
his  men  were  ware  of  them.  Then  they  broke  off  their 
fetters,  and  walked  away  to  the  other  side  of  the  island.  By 
that  time  it  began  to  dawn.    There  they  found  a  ship,  and 


164    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


knew  that  there  was  come  Kari  Solmund's  son.  They  went 
at  once  to  meet  him,  and  told  him  of  their  wrongs  and  hard- 
ships, and  showed  him  their  wounds,  and  said  the  Earl  would 
be  then  asleep. 

"  111  is  it,"  said  Kari,  "  that  ye  should  suffer  such  wrongs 
for  wicked  men  ;  but  what  now  would  be  most  to  your  minds  ?  " 

"To  fall  on  the  Earl/'  they  say,  "and  slay  him." 

"This  will  not  be  fated,"  says  Kari;  "but  still  ye  do  not 
lack  heart,  but  we  will  first  know  whether  he  is  there  now." 

After  that  they  fared  thither,  and  then  the  Earl  was  up 
and  away. 

Then  Kari  sailed  in  to  Hlada  to  meet  the  Earl,  and  brought 
him  the  Orkney  scatts  ;  so  the  Earl  said — 

"  Hast  thou  taken  NjaFs  sons  into  thy  keeping  ?  " 
"  So  it  is,  sure  enough,"  says  Kari. 

"  Wilt  thou  hand  NjaFs  sons  over  to  me  ?  "  asks  the  Earl. 
"  No,  I  will  not,"  said  Kari. 

"  Wilt  thou  swear  this,"  says  the  Earl,  "  that  thou  wilt  not 
fall  on  me  with  NjaFs  sons  ?  " 

Then  Eric,  the  Earl's  son,  spoke  and  said — 

"  Such  things  ought  not  to  be  asked.  Kari  has  always 
been  our  friend,  and  things  should  not  have  gone  as  they  have, 
had  I  been  by.  NjaFs  sons  should  have  been  set  free  from  all 
blame,  but  they  should  have  had  chastisement  who  had  wrought 
for  it.  Methinks  now  it  would  be  more  seemly  to  give  NjaFs 
sons  good  gifts  for  the  hardships  and  wrongs  which  have  been 
put  upon  them,  and  the  wounds  they  have  got." 

"So  it  ought  to  be,  sure  enough,"  says  the  Earl,  "but  I 
know  not  whether  they  will  take  an  atonement." 

Then  the  Earl  said  that  Kari  should  try  the  feeling  of  NjaFs 
sons  as  to  an  atonement. 

After  that  Kari  spoke  to  Helgi,  and  asked  whether  he  would 
take  any  amends  from  the  Earl  or  not. 

"  I  will  take  them,"  said  Helgi,  "  from  his  son  Eric,  but  I 
will  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  Earl." 

Then  Kari  told  Eric  their  answer. 

"  So  it  shall  be,"  says  Eric.  "  He  shall  take  the  amends 
from  me  if  he  thinks  it  better ;  and  tell  them  this  too,  that  I 
bid  them  to  my  house,  and  my  father  shall  do  them  no 
harm." 

This  bidding  they  took,  and  went  to  Eric's  house,  and  were 
with  him  till  Kari  was  ready  to  sail  west  across  the  sea  to  meet 
Earl  Sigurd. 


NJAL'S  SONS  AND  KARI. 


165 


Then  Eric  made  a  feast  for  Kari,  and  gave  him  gifts,  and 
Njal's  sons  gifts  too.  After  that  Kari  fared  west  across  the 
sea,  and  met  Earl  Sigurd,  and  he  greeted  them  very  well,  and 
they  were  with  the  Earl  that  winter. 

But  when  the  spring  came,  Kari  asked  Njal's  sons  to  go  on 
warfare  with  him,  but  Grim  said  they  would  only  do  so  if  he 
would  fare  with  them  afterwards  out  to  Iceland.  Kari  gave 
his  word  to  do  that,  and  then  they  fared  with  him  a-sea-roving. 
They  harried  south  about  Anglesea  and  all  the  Southern  isles. 
Thence  they  held  on  to  Cantyre,  and  landed  there,  and  fought 
with  the  landsmen,  and  got  thence  much  goods,  and  so  fared 
to  their  ships.  Thence  they  fared  south  to  Wales,  and  harried 
there.  Then  they  held  on  for  Man,  and  there  they  met  Godred, 
and  fought  with  him,  and  got  the  victory,  and  slew  Dungal  the 
king's  son.  There  they  took  great  spoil.  Thence  they  held 
on  north  to  Coll,  and  found  Earl  Gilli  there,  and  he  greeted 
them  well,  and  there  they  stayed  with  him  a  while.  The  Earl 
fared  with  them  to  the  Orkneys  to  meet  Earl  Sigurd,  but  next 
spring  Earl  Sigurd  gave  away  his  sister  Nereida  to  Earl  Gilli, 
and  then  he  fared  back  to  the  Southern  isles. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 

NJAL'S  SONS  AND  KARI  COME  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

That  summer  Kari  and  Njal's  sons  busked  them  for  Iceland, 
and  when  they  were  "all-boun"  they  went  to  see  the  Earl. 
The  Earl  gave  them  good  gifts,  and  they  parted  with  great 
friendship. 

Now  they  put  to  sea  and  have  a  short  passage,  and  they 
got  a  fine  fair  breeze,  and  made  the  land  at  Eyrar.  Then  they 
got  them  horses  and  ride  from  the  ship  to  Bergthorsknoll,  but 
when  they  came  home  all  men  were  glad  to  see  them.  They 
flitted  home  their  goods  and  laid  up  the  ship,  and  Kari  was 
there  that  winter  with  Njal. 

But  the  spring  after,  Kari  asked  for  Njal's  daughter,  Helga, 
to  wife,  and  Helgi  and  Grim  backed  his  suit ;  and  so  the  end 
of  it  was  that  she  was  betrothed  to  Kari,  and  the  day  for  the 
wedding-feast  was  fixed,  and  the  feast  was  held  half  a  month 
before  mid-summer,  and  they  were  that  winter  with  Njal. 


166    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Then  Kari  bought  him  land  at  Dyrholms,  east  away  by 
Mydale,  and  set  up  a  farm  there  ;  they  put  in  there  a  grieve 
and  housekeeper  to  see  after  the  farm,  but  they  themselves 
were  ever  with  Njal. 


CHAPTER  XC. 

THE  QUARREL  OF  NJAL'S  SONS  WITH  THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON. 

Hrapp  owned  a  farm  at  Hrappstede,  but  for  all  that  he  was 
always  at  Gritwater,  and  he  was  thought  to  spoil  everything 
there.    Thrain  was  good  to  him. 

Once  on  a  time  it  happened  that  Kettle  of  the  Mark  was 
at  Bergthorsknoll ;  then  Njal's  sons  told  him  of  their  wrongs 
and  hardships,  and  said  they  had  much  to  lay  at  Thrain  Sigfus' 
son's  door,  whenever  they  chose  to  speak  about  it. 

Njal  said  it  would  be  best  that  Kettle  should  talk  with  his 
brother  Thrain  about  it,  and  he  gave  his  word  to  do  so. 

So  they  gave  Kettle  breathing-time  to  talk  to  Thrain. 

A  little  after  they  spoke  of  the  matter  again  to  Kettle, 
but  he  said  that  he  would  repeat  few  of  the  words  that  had 
passed  between  them,  "for  it  was  pretty  plain  that  Thrain 
thought  I  set  too  great  store  on  being  your  brother-in-law 

Then  they  dropped  talking  about  it,  and  thought  they  saw 
that  things  looked  ugly,  and  so  they  asked  their  father  for  his 
counsel  as  to  what  was  to  be  done,  but  they  told  him  they 
would  not  let  things  rest  as  they  then  stood. 

"  Such  things,"  said  Njal,  "are  not  so  strange.  It  will  be 
thought  that  they  are  slain  without  a  cause,  if  they  are  slain 
now,  and  my  counsel  is,  that  as  many  men  as  may  be  should 
be  brought  to  talk  with  them  about  these  things,  that  thus  as 
many  as  we  can  find  may  be  ear-witnesses  if  they  answer  ill  as 
to  these  things.  Then  Kari  shall  talk  about  them  too,  for  he 
is  just  the  man  with  the  right  turn  of  mind  for  this ;  then  the 
dislike  between  you  will  grow  and  grow,  for  they  will  heap  bad 
words  on  bad  words  when  men  bring  the  matter  forward,  for 
they  are  foolish  men.  It  may  also  well  be  that  it  may  be  said 
that  my  sons  are  slow  to  take  up  a  quarrel,  but  ye  shall  bear 
that  for  the  sake  of  gaining  time,  for  there  are  two  sides  to 
everything  that  is  done,  and  ye  can  always  pick  a  quarrel ;  but 


THE  QUARREL  OF  NJAL'S  SONS.  167 


still  ye  shall  let  so  much  of  your  purpose  out,  as  to  say  that  if 
any  wrong  be  put  upon  you  that  ye  do  mean  something.  But 
if  ye  had  taken  counsel  from  me  at  first,  then  these  things 
should  never  have  been  spoken  about  at  all,  and  then  ye  would 
have  gotten  no  disgrace  from  them ;  but  now  ye  have  the 
greatest  risk  of  it,  and  so  it  will  go  on  ever  growing  and  grow- 
ing with  your  disgrace,  that  ye  will  never  get  rid  of  it  until  ye 
bring  yourselves  into  a  strait,  and  have  to  fight  your  way  out 
with  weapons ;  but  in  that  there  is  a  long  and  weary  night  in 
which  ye  will  have  to  grope  your  way." 

After  that  they  ceased  speaking  about  it ;  but  the  matter 
became  the  daily  talk  of  many  men. 

One  day  it  happened  that  those  brothers  spoke  to  Kari 
and  bade  him  go  to  Gritwater.  Kari  said  he  thought  he 
might  go  elsewhither  on  a  better  journey,  but  still  he  would 
go  if  that  were  Njals  counsel.  So  after  that  Kari  fares  to 
meet  Thrain,  and  then  they  talk  over  the  matter,  and  they  did 
not  each  look  at  it  in  the  same  way. 

Kari  comes  home,  and  Njal's  sons  ask  how  things  had  gone 
between  Thrain  and  him.  Kari  said  he  would  rather  not 
repeat  the  words  that  had  passed,  "but,"  he  went  on,  "it  is 
to  be  looked  for  that  the  like  words  will  be  spoken  when  ye 
yourselves  can  hear  them  ". 

Thrain  had  fifteen  house-carles  trained  to  arms  in  his  house, 
and  eight  of  them  rode  with  him  whithersoever  he  went. 
Thrain  was  very  fond  of  show  and  dress,  and  always  rode  in 
a  blue  cloak,  and  had  on  a  guilded  helm,  and  the  spear — the 
Earl's  gift — in  his  hand,  and  a  fair  shield,  and  a  sword  at  his 
belt.  Along  with  him  always  went  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 
and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Grani,  Gunnar  of  Lithend's  son. 
But  nearest  of  all  to  him  went  Killing- Hrapp.  Lodinn  was 
the  name  of  his  serving-man,  he  too  went  with  Thrain  when 
he  journeyed;  Tjorvi  was  the  name  of  Loddin's  brother,  and  he 
too  was  one  of  Thrain's  band.  The  worst  of  all,  in  their  words 
against  Njal's  sons,  were  Hrapp  and  Grani ;  and  it  was  mostly 
their  doing  that  no  atonement  was  offered  to  them. 

Njal's  sons  often  spoke  to  Kari  that  he  should  ride  with 
them ;  and  it  came  to  that  at  last,  for  he  said  it  would  be 
well  that  they  heard  Thrain's  answer. 

Then  they  busked  them,  four  of  Njal's  sons,  and  Kari  the 
fifth,  and  so  they  fare  to  Gritwater. 

There  was  a  wide  porch  in  the  homestead  there,  so  that 
many  men  might  stand  in  it  side  by  side.      There  was  a 


168    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


woman  out  of  doors,  and  she  saw  their  coming,  and  told  Thrain 
of  it ;  he  bade  them  to  go  out  into  the  porch,  and  take  their 
arms,  and  they  did  so. 

Thrain  stood  in  mid-door,  Killing- Hrapp  and  Grani  Gunnar's 
son  stood  on  either  hand  of  him  ;  then  next  stood  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son,  then  Lodinn  and  Tjorvi,  then  Lambi  Sigurd's 
son ;  then  each  of  the  others  took  his  place  right  and  left ; 
for  the  house- carles  were  all  at  home. 

Skarphedinn  and  his  men  walk  up  from  below,  and  he 
went  first,  then  Kari,  then  Hauskuld,  then  Grim,  then  Helgi. 
But  when  they  had  come  up  to  the  door,  then  not  a  word  of 
welcome  passed  the  lips  of  those  who  stood  before  them. 

"  May  we  all  be  welcome  here  ?  "  said  Skarphedinn. 

Hallgerda  stood  in  the  porch,  and  had  been  talking  low  to 
Hrapp,  then  she  spoke  out  loud — 

"  None  of  those  who  are  here  will  say  that  ye  are  wel- 
come." 

Then  Skarphedinn  sang  a  song. 

Prop  of  sea-waves'  fire,*  thy  fretting 
Cannot  cast  a  weight  on  us, 
Warriors  wight ;  yes,  wolf  and  eagle 
Willingly  I  feed  to-day  ; 
Carline  thrust  into  the  ingle, 
Or  a  tramping  whore,  art  thou  ; 
Lord  of  skates  that  skim  the  sea-belt,  f 
Odin's  mocking  cup  %  I  mix. 

"Thy  words,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "will  not  be  worth  much, 
for  thou  art  either  a  hag,  only  fit  to  sit  in  the  ingle,  or  a 
harlot/ ' 

"These  words  of  thine  thou  shalt  pay  for/'  she  says,  "ere 
thou  farest  home." 

"Thee  am  1  come  to  see,  Thrain,"  said  Helgi,  "and  to  know 
if  thou  wilt  make  me  any  amends  for  those  wrongs  and  hard- 
ships which  befell  me  for  thy  sake  in  Norway." 

"I  never  knew,"  said  Thrain,  "that  ye  two  brothers  were 
wont  to  measure  your  manhood  by  money ;  or,  how  long  shall 
such  a  claim  for  amends  stand  over  ?  " 

"Many  will  say,"  says  Helgi,  "that  thou  oughtest  to  offer 
us  atonement,  since  thy  life  was  at  stake." 

Then  Hrapp  said,  "'Twas  just  luck  that  swayed  the 

*  "  Prop  of  sea-waves'  fire,"  a  periphrasis  for  a  woman  that  bears  gold  on 
her  arm. 

f  "  Skates  that  skim,"  etc.,  a  periphrasis  for  ships. 
X  "  Odin's  mocking  cup,"  mocking  songs. 


THE  QUARREL  OE  NJAL'S  SONS.  169 


balance,  when  he  got  stripes  who  ought  to  bear  them  ;  and 
she  dragged  you  under  disgrace  and  hardships,  but  us  away 
from  them." 

"Little  good  luck  was  there  in  that/'  says  Helgi,  "to 
break  faith  with  the  Earl,  and  to  take  to  thee  instead." 

"Thinkest  thou  not  that  thou  hast  some  amends  to  seek 
from  me  ? "  says  Hrapp.  "  I  will  atone  thee  in  a  way  that, 
methinks,  were  fitting." 

"The  only  dealings  we  shall  have,"  says  Helgi,  "will  be 
those  which  will  not  stand  thee  in  good  stead." 

"  Don't  bandy  words  with  Hrapp,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "  but 
give  him  a  red  skin  for  a  grey."  1 

"Hold  thy  tongue,  Skarphedinn,"  said  Hrapp,  "or  I  will 
not  spare  to  bring  my  axe  on  thy  head." 

"'Twill  be  proved  soon  enough,  I  dare  say,"  says  Skarp- 
hedinn, "which  of  us  is  to  scatter  gravel  over  the  others 
head." 

"  Away  with  you  home,  ye  '  Dungbeardlings  V"  says  Hall- 
gerda,  "  and  so  we  will  call  you  always  from  this  day  forth  ; 
but  your  father  we  will  call  ( the  Beardless  Carle '." 

"They  did  not  fare  home  before  all  who  were  there  had 
made  themselves  guilty  of  uttering  those  words,  save  Thrain  ; 
he  forbade  men  to  utter  them. 

•Then  Njal's  sons  went  away,  and  fared  till  they  came 
home ;  then  they  told  their  father. 

"  Did  ye  call  any  men  to  witness  of  those  words  ? "  says 
Njal. 

"We  called  none,"  says  Skarphedinn;  "we  do  not  mean 
to  follow  that  suit  up  except  on  the  battlefield." 

"No  one  will  now  think,"  says  Bergthora,  "that  ye  have 
the  heart  to  lift  your  weapons." 

"Spare  thy  tongue,  mistress!"  says  Kari,  "in  egging  on 
thy  sons,  for  they  will  be  quite  eager  enough." 

After  that  they  all  talk  long  in  secret,  Njal  and  his  sons, 
and  Kari  Solmund's  son,  their  brother-in-law. 

1  An  allusion  to  the  Beast  Epic,  where  the  cunning  fox  laughs  at  the  flayed 
condition  of  his  stupid  foes,  the  wolf  and  bear.  We  should  say,  "  Don't  stop 
to  speak  with  him,  but  rather  beat  him  black  and  blue". 


170    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  XCI. 

THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON'S  SLAYING. 

Now  there  was  great  talk  about  this  quarrel  of  theirs,  and 
all  seemed  to  know  that  it  would  not  settle  down  peacefully. 

Runolf,  the  son  of  Wolf  Aurpriest,  east  in  the  Dale,  was 
a  great  friend  of  Thrain' s,  and  had  asked  Thrain  to  come  and 
see  him,  and  it  was  settled  that  he  should  come  east  when 
about  three  weeks  or  a  month  were  wanting  to  winter. 

Thrain  bade  Hrapp,  and  Grani,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 
and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Lodinn,  and  Tjorvi,  eight  of 
them  in  all,  to  go  on  this  journey  with  him.  Hallgerda  and 
Thorgerda  were  to  go  too.  At  the  same  time  Thrain  gave  it 
out  that  he  meant  to  stay  in  the  Mark  with  his  brother  Kettle, 
and  said  how  many  nights  he  meant  to  be  away  from  home. 

They  all  of  them  had  full  arms.  So  they  rode  east  across 
Markfleet,  and  found  there  some  gangrel  women,  and  they 
begged  them  to  put  them  across  the  Fleet  west  on  their 
horses,  and  they  did  so. 

Then  they  rode  into  the  Dale,  and  had  a  hearty  welcome  ; 
there  Kettle  of  the  Mark  met  them,  and  there  they  sate  two 
nights. 

Both  Runolf  and  Kettle  besought  Thrain  that  he  would 
make  up  his  quarrel  with  Njal's  sons ;  but  he  said  he  would 
never  pay  any  money,  and  answered  crossly,  for  he  said  he 
thought  himself  quite  a  match  for  Njal's  sons  wherever  they 
met. 

"  So  it  may  be,"  says  Runolf ;  "  but  so  far  as  I  can  see,  no 
man  has  been  their  match  since  Gunnar  of  Lithend  died,  and 
it  is  likelier  that  ye  will  both  drag  one  another  down  to  death." 

Thrain  said  that  was  not  to  be  dreaded. 

Then  Thrain  fared  up  into  the  Mark,  and  was  there  two 
nights  more ;  after  that  he  rode  down  into  the  Dale,  and  was 
sent  away  from  both  houses  with  fitting  gifts. 

Now  the  Markfleet  was  then  flowing  between  sheets  of  ice 
on  both  sides,  and  there  were  tongues  of  ice  bridging  it  across 
every  here  and  there. 

Thrain  said  that  he  meant  to  ride  home  that  evening,  but 
Runolf  said  that  he  ought  not  to  ride  home  ;  he  said,  too,  that 
it  would  be  more  wary  not  to  fare  back  as  he  had  said  he  would 
before  he  left  home. 


THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON'S  SLAYING.  171 


"That  is  fear,  and  I  will  none  of  it,"  answers  Thrain. 

Now  those  gangrel  women  whom  they  had  put  across  the 
Fleet  came  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Bergthora  asked  whence 
they  came,  but  they  answered,  "Away  east  under  Eyjafell ". 

"Then,  who  put  you  across  Markfleet?"  said  Bergthora. 

"Those,"  said  they,  "who  were  the  most  boastful  and 
bravest  clad  of  men." 

"  Who  ?  "  asked  Bergthora. 

"Thrain  Sigfus'  son,"  said  they,  "and  his  company,  but 
we  thought  it  best  to  tell  thee  that  they  were  so  full-tongued 
and  foul-tongued  towards  this  house,  against  thy  husband  and 
his  sons." 

"Listeners  do  not  often  hear  good  of  themselves,"  says  \ 
Bergthora.  After  that  they  went  their  way,  and  Bergthora  gave 
them  gifts  on  their  going,  and  asked  them  when  Thrain  might 
be  coming  home. 

They  said  that  he  would  be  from  home  four  or  five 
nights. 

After  that  Bergthora  told  her  sons  and  her  son-in-law  Kari, 
and  they  talked  long  and  low  about  the  matter. 

But  that  same  morning,  when  Thrain  and  his  men  rode 
from  the  east,  Njal  woke  up  early  and  heard  how  Skarphedinn's 
axe  came  against  the  panel. 

Then  Njal  rises  up,  and  goes  out,  and  sees  that  his  sons 
are  all  there  with  their  weapons,  and  Kari,  his  son-in-law  too. 
Skarphedinn  was  foremost.  He  was  in  a  blue  cape,  and  had 
a  targe,  and  his  axe  aloft  on  his  shoulder.  Next  to  him  went 
Helgi ;  he  was  in  a  red  kirtle,  had  a  helm  on  his  head,  and  a 
red  shield,  on  which  a  hart  was  marked.  Next  to  him  went 
Kari ;  he  had  on  a  silken  jerkin,  a  gilded  helm  and  shield,  and 
on  it  was  drawn  a  lion.  They  were  all  in  bright  holiday 
clothes. 

Njal  called  out  to  Skarphedinn — 
"Whither  art  thou  going,  kinsman  ?  " 
"  On  a  sheep  hunt,"  he  said. 

"So  it  was  once  before,"  said  Njal,  "but  then  ye  hunted 
men." 

Skarphedinn  laughed  at  that,  and  said — 
"  Hear  ye  what  the  old  man  says  ?    He  is  not  without  his 
doubts." 

"  When  was  it  that  thou  spokest  thus  before  ?  "  asks  Kari. 
"When  I  slew  Sigmund  the  white,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"  Gunnar  of  Lithend's  kinsman." 


172    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  For  what  ?  "  asks  Kari. 

"He  had  slain  Thord  Freedmanson,  my  foster-father." 

Njal  went  home,  but  they  fared  up  into  the  Redslips,  and 
bided  there  ;  thence  they  could  see  the  others  as  soon  as  ever 
they  rode  from  the  east  out  of  the  dale. 

There  was  sunshine  that  day  and  bright  weather. 

Now  Thrain  and  his  men  ride  down  out  of  the  Dale  along 
the  river  bank. 

Lambi  Sigurd's  son  said — 

"  Shields  gleam  away  yonder  in  the  Redslips  when  the  sun 
shines  on  them,  and  there  must  be  some  men  lying  in  wait 
there." 

"  Then/'  says  Thrain,  "  we  will  turn  our  way  lower  down 
the  Fleet,  and  then  they  will  come  to  meet  us  if  they  have 
any  business  with  us." 

So  they  turn  down  the  Fleet.  "Now  they  have  caught 
sight  of  us,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "  for  lo !  they  turn  their  path 
elsewhither,  and  now  we  have  no  other  choice  than  to  run 
down  and  meet  them." 

"Many  men,"  said  Kari,  "would  rather  not  lie  in  wait  if 
the  balance  of  force  were  not  more  on  their  side  than  it  is  on 
ours ;  they  are  eight,  but  we  are  five." 

Now  they  turn  down  along  the  Fleet,  and  see  a  tongue  of 
ice  bridging  the  stream  lower  down  and  mean  to  cross  there. 

Thrain  and  his  men  take  their  stand  upon  the  ice  away 
from  the  tongue,  and  Thrain  said — 

"  What  can  these  men  want  ?  They  are  five,  and  we  are 
eight." 

"  I  guess,"  said  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  "  that  they  would  still 
run  the  risk  though  more  men  stood  against  them." 

Thrain  throws  off  his  cloak,  and  takes  off  his  helm. 

Now  it  happened  to  Skarphedinn,  as  they  ran  down  along 
the  Fleet,  that  his  shoe-string  snapped  asunder,  and  he  stayed 
behind. 

"  Why  so  slow,  Skarphedinn  ?  "  quoth  Grim. 
"  I  am  tying  my  shoe,"  he  says. 

"Let  us  get  on  ahead,"  says  Kari ;  "methinks  he  will  not 
be  slower  than  we." 

So  they  turn  off  to  the  tongue,  and  run  as  fast  as  they  can. 
Skarphedinn  sprang  up  as  soon  as  he  was  ready,  and  had  lifted 
his  axe,  "  the  ogress  of  war,"  aloft,  and  runs  right  down  to  the 
Fleet.  But  the  Fleet  was  so  deep  that  there  was  no  fording  it 
for  a  long  way  up  or  down. 


THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON'S  SLAYING.  173 


A  great  sheet  of  ice  had  been  thrown  up  by  the  flood  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Fleet  as  smooth  and  slippery  as  glass,  and 
there  Thrain  and  his  men  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  sheet. 

Skarphedinn  takes  a  spring  into  the  air,  and  leaps  over  the 
stream  between  the  icebanks,  and  does  not  check  his  course, 
but  rushes  still  onwards  with  a  slide.  The  sheet  of  ice  was 
very  slippery,  and  so  he  went  as  fast  as  a  bird  flies.  Thrain 
was  just  about  to  put  his  helm  on  his  head ;  and  now  Skarp- 
hedinn bore  down  on  them,  and  hews  at  Thrain  with  his  axe, 
"the  ogress  of  war,"  and  smote  him  on  the  head,  and  clove 
him  down  to  the  teeth,  so  that  his  jaw-teeth  fell  out  on  the 
ice.  This  feat  was  done  with  such  a  quick  sleight  that  no  one 
could  get  a  blow  at  him  ;  he  glided  away  from  them  at  once 
at  full  speed.  Tjorvi,  indeed,  threw  his  shield  before  him  on 
the  ice,  but  he  leapt  over  it,  and  still  kept  his  feet,  and  slid 
quite  to  the  end  of  the  sheet  of  ice. 

There  Kari  and  his  brothers  came  to  meet  him. 

"This  was  done  like  a  man/'  says  Kari. 

"Your  share  is  still  left,"  says  Skarphedinn,  and  sang  a 
song. 

To  the  strife  of  swords  not  slower, 
After  all,  I  came  than  you, 
For  with  ready  stroke  the  sturdy 
Squanderer  of  wealth  I  felled  ; 
But  since  Grim's  and  Helgi's  sea-stag* 
Norway's  Earl  erst  took  and  stripped, 
Now  'tis  time  for  sea-fire  bearers  f 
Such  dishonour  to  avenge. 

And  this  other  song  he  sang — 

Swiftly  down  I  dashed  my  weapon, 
Gashing  giant,  byrnie-breacher,  X 
She,  the  noisy  ogre's  namesake,  § 
Soon  with  flesh  the  ravens  glutted  ; 
Now  your  words  to  Hrapp  remember, 
On  broad  ice  now  rouse  the  storm, 
With  dull  crash  war's  eager  ogress 
Battle's  earliest  note  hath  sung. 

"That  befits  us  well,  and  we  will  do  it  well,"  says  Helgi. 
Then  they  turn  up  towards  them.    Both  Grim  and  Helgi 
see  where  Hrapp  is,  and  they  turned  on  him  at  once.  Hrapp 

*  "  Sea-stag,"  periphrasis  for  ship. 

f  "  Sea-fire  bearers,''  the  bearers  of  gold,  men,  that  is,  Helgi  and  Grim. 
X    Byrnie-breacher,"  piercer  of  coats  of  mail. 

§  "  Noisy  ogre's  namesake,"  an  allusion  to  the  name  of  Skarphedinn's  axe, 
"  the  ogress  of  war  ". 


174    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


hews  at  Grim  there  and  then  with  his  axe  ;  Helgi  sees  this 
and  cuts  at  Hrapp's  arm,  and  cut  it  off,  and  down  fell  the  axe. 

"  In  this/'  says  Hrapp,  "  thou  hast  done  a  most  needful 
work,  for  this  hand  hath  wrought  harm  and  death  to  many  a 
man." 

"  And  so  here  an  end  shall  be  put  to  it/'  says  Grim  ;  and 
with  that  he  ran  him  through  with  a  spear,  and  then  Hrapp 
fell  down  dead. 

Tjorvi  turns  against  Kari  and  hurls  a  spear  at  him.  Kari 
leapt  up  in  the  air,  and  the  spear  flew  below  his  feet.  Then 
Kari  rushes  at  him,  and  hews  at  him  on  the  breast  with  his 
sword,  and  the  blow  passed  at  once  into  his  chest,  and  he  got 
his  death  there  and  then. 

Then  Skarphedinn  seizes  both  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and 
Grani  Gunnar' s  son,  and  said — 

"  Here  have  I  caught  two  whelps  !  but  what  shall  we  do 
with  them  ?  " 

"  It  is  in  thy  power,"  says  Helgi,  "  to  slay  both  or  either 
of  them,  if  you  wish  them  dead." 

"  I  cannot  find  it  in  my  heart  to  do  both — help  Hogni  and 
slay  his  brother,"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"  Then  the  day  will  once  come,"  says  Helgi,  "  when  thou 
wilt  wish  that  thou  hadst  slain  him,  for  never  will  he  be  true 
to  thee,  nor  will  any  one  of  the  others  who  are  now  here." 

"  I  shall  not  fear  them,"  answers  Skarphedinn. 

After  that  they  gave  peace  to  Grani  Gunnar' s  son,  and 
Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Lodinn. 

After  that  they  went  down  to  the  Fleet  where  Skarp- 
hedinn had  leapt  over  it,  and  Kari  and  the  others  measured 
the  length  of  the  leap  with  their  spear-shafts,  and  it  was  twelve 
ells  (about  eighteen  feet,  according  to  the  old  Norse  measure). 

Then  they  turned  homewards,  and  Njal  asked  what  tidings. 
They  told  him  all  just  as  it  had  happened,  and  Njal  said — 

"  These  are  great  tidings,  and  it  is  more  likely  that  hence 
will  come  the  death  of  one  of  my  sons,  if  not  more  evil." 

Gunnar  Lambi's  son  bore  the  body  of  Thrain  with  him  to 
Gritwater,  and  he  was  laid  in  a  cairn  there. 


KETTLE  TAKES  HAUSKULD.  175 


CHAPTER  XCII. 

KETTLE  TAKES  HAUSKULD  AS  HIS  FOSTER-SON. 

Kettle  of  the  Mark  had  to  wife  Thorgerda,  Njal's  daughter, 
but  he  was  Thrain's  brother,  and  he  thought  he  was  come  into 
a  strait,  so  he  rode  to  Njal's  house,  and  asked  whether  he 
were  willing  to  atone  in  any  way  for  Thrain's  slaying  ? 

"  I  will  atone  for  it  handsomely,"  answered  Njal  ;  "and  my 
wish  is  that  thou  shouldst  look  after  the  matter  with  thy 
brothers  who  have  to  take  the  price  of  the  atonement,  that 
they  may  be  ready  to  join  in  it." 

Kettle  said  he  would  do  so  with  all  his  heart,  and  Kettle 
rode  home  first ;  a  little  after,  he  summoned  all  his  brothers  to 
Lithend,  and  then  he  had  a  talk  with  them  ;  and  Hogni  was 
on  his  side  all  through  the  talk  ;  and  so  it  came  about  that 
men  were  chosen  to  utter  the  award ;  and  a  meeting  was 
agreed  on,  and  the  fair  price  of  a  man  was  awarded  for  Thrain's 
slaying,  and  they  all  had  a  share  in  the  blood-money  who  had 
a  lawful  right  to  it.  After  that  pledges  of  peace  and  good 
faith  were  agreed  to,  and  they  were  settled  in  the  most  sure 
and  binding  way. 

Njal  paid  down  all  the  money  out  of  hand  well  and 
bravely ;  and  so  things  were  quiet  for  a  while. 

One  day  Njal  rode  up  into  the  Mark,  and  he  and  Kettle 
talked  together  the  whole  day ;  Njal  rode  home  at  even,  and 
no  man  knew  of  what  they  had  taken  counsel. 

A  little  after  Kettle  fares  to  Gritwater,  and  he  said  to 
Thorgerda — 

"Long  have  I  loved  my  brother  Thrain  much,  and  now 
I  will  show  it,  for  I  will  ask  Hauskuld  Thrain's  son  to  be  my 
foster-child." 

"  Thou  shalt  have  thy  choice  of  this,"  she  says  ;  "  and 
thou  shalt  give  this  lad  all  the  help  in  thy  power  when  he  is 
grown  up,  and  avenge  him  if  he  is  slain  with  weapons,  and 
bestow  money  on  him  for  his  wife's  dower  ;  and  besides,  thou 
shalt  swear  to  do  all  this." 

Now  Hauskuld  fares  home  with  Kettle,  and  is  with  him 
some  time. 


176    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  XCIII. 

NJAL  TAKES  HAUSKULD  TO  FOSTER. 

Once  on  a  time  Njal  rides  up  into  the  Mark,  and  he  had  a 
hearty  welcome.  He  was  there  that  night,  and  in  the  even- 
ing Njal  called  out  to  the  lad  Hauskuld,  and  he  went  up  to 
him  at  once. 

Njal  had  a  ring  of  gold  on  his  hand,  and  showed  it  to  the 
lad.  He  took  hold  of  the  gold,  and  looked  at  it,  and  put  it 
on  his  finger. 

"  Wilt  thou  take  the  gold  as  a  gift  ?  "  said  Njal. 

"  That  I  will,"  said  the  lad. 

u  Knowest  thou/'  says  Njal,  "  what  brought  thy  father  to 
his  death  ?  " 

"  I  know,"  answers  the  lad,  "  that  Skarphedinn  slew  him  ; 
but  we  need  not  keep  that  in  mind,  when  an  atonement  has 
been  made  for  it,  and  a  full  price  paid  for  him." 

"  Better  answered  than  asked,"  said  Njal  ;  "  and  thou  wilt 
live  to  be  a  good  man  and  true,"  he  adds. 

"Methinks  thy  forecasting,"  says  Hauskuld,  "is  worth 
having,  for  I  know  that  thou  art  foresighted  and  unlying." 

"  Now  I  will  offer  to  foster  thee,"  said  Njal,  "if  thou  wilt 
take  the  offer." 

He  said  he  would  be  willing  to  take  both  that  honour  and 
any  other  good  offer  which  he  might  make.  So  the  end  of 
the  matter  was,  that  Hauskuld  fared  home  with  Njal  as  his 
foster-son. 

He  suffered  no  harm  to  come  nigh  the  lad,  and  loved  him 
much.  Njal's  sons  took  him  about  with  them,  and  did  him 
honour  in  every  way.  And  so  things  go  on  till  Hauskuld  is 
full  grown.  He  was  both  tall  and  strong  ;  the  fairest  of  men 
to  look  on,  and  well-haired  ;  blithe  of  speech,  bountiful,  well- 
behaved  ;  as  well  trained  to  arms  as  the  best ;  fairspoken  to 
all  men,  and  much  beloved. 

Njal's  sons  and  Hauskuld  were  never  apart,  either  in  word 
or  deed. 


/ 


OF  HALL  OF  THE  SIDE.  177 


CHAPTER  XCIV. 

OF  FLOSI  THORD'S  SON. 

There  was  a  man  named  Flosi,  he  was  the  son  of  Thord 
Freyspriest.  Flosi  had  to  wife  Steinvora,  daughter  of  Hall 
of  the  Side.  She  was  base  born,  and  her  mother's  name  was 
Solvora,  daughter  of  Herjolf  the  white.  Flosi  dwelt  at  Swine- 
fell,  and  was  a  mighty  chief.  He  was  tall  of  stature,  and 
strong  withal,  the  most  forward  and  boldest  of  men.  His 
brother's  name  was  Starkad  ;  he  was  not  by  the  same  mother 
as  Flosi. 

The  other  brothers  of  Flosi  were  Thorgeir  and  Stein, 
Kolbein  and  Egil.  Hildigunna  was  the  name  of  the  daughter 
of  Starkad  Flosi' s  brother.  She  was  a  proud,  high-spirited 
maiden,  and  one  of  the  fairest  of  women.  She  was  so  skilful 
with  her  hands,  that  few  women  were  equally  skilful.  She 
was  the  grimmest  and  hardest-hearted  of  all  women ;  but 
still  a  woman  of  open  hand  and  heart  when  any  fitting  call 
was  made  upon  her. 


CHAPTER  XCV. 

OF  HALL  OF  THE  SIDE. 

Hall  was  the  name  of  a  man  who  was  called  Hall  of  the  Side. 
He  was  the  son  of  Thorstein  Baudvar's  son.  Hall  had  to  wife 
Joreida,  daughter  of  Thidrandi  the  wise.  Thorstein  was  the 
name  of  Hall's  brother,  and  he  was  nick-named  broad-paunch. 
His  son  was  Kol,  whom  Kari  slays  in  Wales.  The  sons  of 
Hall  of  the  Side  were  Thorstein  and  Egil,  Thorwald  and  Ljot, 
and  Thidrandi,  whom,  it  is  said,  the  goddesses  slew. 

There  was  a  man  named  Thorir,  whose  surname  was  Holt- 
Thorir ;  his  sons  were  these  :  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  Thorleif 
crow,  from  whom  the  Wood-dwellers  are  come,  and  Thorgrim 
the  big. 


12 


178    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  XCVI. 

OF  THE  CHANGE  OF  FAITH. 

There  had  been  a  change  of  rulers  in  Norway,  Earl  Hacon 
was  dead  and  gone,  but  in  his  stead  was  come  Olaf  Tryggvi's 
son.  That  was  the  end  of  Earl  Hacon,  that  Kark,  the  thrall, 
cut  his  throat  at  Rimul  in  Gaulardale. 

Along  with  that  was  heard  that  there  had  been  a  change 
of  faith  in  Norway ;  they  had  cast  off  the  old  faith,  but  King 
Olaf  had  christened  the  western  lands,  Shetland,  and  the 
Orkneys,  and  the  Faroe  Isles. 

Then  many  men  spoke  so  that  Njal  heard  it,  that  it  was  a 
strange  and  wicked  thing  to  throw  off  the  old  faith. 

Then  Njal  spoke  and  said — 

"It  seems  to  me  as  though  this  new  faith  must  be  much 
better,  and  he  will  be  happy  who  follows  this  rather  than  the 
other ;  and  if  those  men  come  out  hither  who  preach  this  faith, 
then  I  will  back  them  well." 

He  went  often  alone  away  from  other  men  and  muttered 
to  himself. 

That  same  harvest  a  ship  came  out  into  the  firths  east  to 
Berufirth,  at  a  spot  called  Gautawick.  The  captain's  name 
was  Thangbrand.  He  was  a  son  of  Willibald,  a  count  of  Saxony. 
Thangbrand  was  sent  out  hither  by  King  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son, 
to  preach  the  faith.  Along  with  him  came  that  man  of  Ice- 
land whose  name  was  Gudleif.  Gudleif  was  a  great  man-slayer, 
and  one  of  the  strongest  of  men,  and  hardy  and  forward  in 
everything. 

Two  brothers  dwelt  at  Beruness ;  the  name  of  the  one  was 
Thorleif,  but  the  other  was  Kettle.  They  were  sons  of  Holm- 
stein,  the  son  of  Auzur  of  Broaddale.  These  brothers  held  a 
meeting,  and  forbade  men  to  have  any  dealings  with  them. 
This  Hall  of  the  Side  heard.  He  dwelt  at  Thvatt water  in 
Alftafirth ;  he  rode  to  the  ship  with  twenty-nine  men,  and  he 
fares  at  once  to  find  Thangbrand,  and  spoke  to  him  and  asked 
him — 

"  Trade  is  rather  dull,  is  it  not  ?  " 
He  answered  that  so  it  was. 

"  Now  will  I  say  my  errand,"  says  Hall ;  "  it  is,  that  I  wish 
to  ask  you  all  to  my  house,  and  run  the  risk  of  my  being  able 
to  get  rid  of  your  wares  for  you." 


/ 


OF  THANGBRAND'S  JOURNEYS.  179 


Thangbrand  thanked  him,  and  fared  to  Thvattwater  that 
harvest. 

It  so  happened  one  morning  that  Thangbrand  was  out 
early  and  made  them  pitch  a  tent  on  land,  and  sang  mass  in  it, 
and  took  much  pains  with  it,  for  it  was  a  great  high  day. 

Hall  spoke  to  Thangbrand  and  asked,  "  In  memory  of 
whom  keepest  thou  this  day  ?  " 

u  In  memory  of  Michael  the  archangel,"  says  Thangbrand. 

"What  follows  that  angel  ?  "  asks  Hall. 

"  Much  good/'  says  Thangbrand.  "  He  will  weigh  all  the 
good  that  thou  doest,  and  he  is  so  merciful,  that  whenever  any 
one  pleases  him,  he  makes  his  good  deeds  weigh  more." 

u  I  would  like  to  have  him  for  my  friend,"  says  Hall. 

"That  thou  mayest  well  have,"  says  Thangbrand,  "only 
give  thyself  over  to  him  by  God's  help  this  very  day." 

"  I  only  make  this  condition,"  says  Hall,  "  that  thou  givest 
thy  word  for  him  that  he  will  then  become  my  guardian  angel." 

"That  I  will  promise,"  says  Thangbrand. 

Then  Hall  was  baptised,  and  all  his  household. 


CHAPTER  XCVII. 

OF  THANGBRAND' S  JOURNEYS. 

The  spring  after  Thangbrand  set  out  to  preach  Christianity, 
and  Hall  went  with  him.  But  when  they  came  west  across 
Lonsheath  to  Staffell,  there  they  found  a  man  dwelling  named 
Thorkell.  He  spoke  most  against  the  faith,  and  challenged 
Thangbrand  to  single  combat.  Then  Thangbrand  bore  a  rood- 
cross  1  before  his  shield,  and  the  end  of  their  combat  was  that 
Thangbrand  won  the  day  and  slew  Thorkell. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Hornfirth  and  turned  in  as  guests  at 
Borgarhaven,  west  of  Heinabergs  sand.  There  Hilldir  the  old 
dwelt,2  and  then  Hilldir  and  all  his  household  took  upon  them 
the  new  faith. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Fellcombe,  and  went  in  as  guests  to 
CahTell.  There  dwelt  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  Hall's  kinsman, 
and  he  took  upon  him  the  faith  and  all  his  house. 

1  Rood-cross,  a  crucifix. 

2  His  son  wa,s  Glum  who  fared  to  the  burning  with  Flosi. 


180    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Thence  they  fared  to  Swinefell,  and  Flosi  only  took  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  but  gave  his  word  to  back  them  at  the  Thing. 

Thence  they  fared  west  to  Woodcombe,  and  went  in  as 
guests  at  Kirkby.  There  dwelt  Surt  Asbjorn's  son,  the  son  of 
Thorstein,  the  son  of  Kettle  the  foolish.  These  had  all  of 
them  been  Christians  from  father  to  son. 

After  that  they  fared  out  of  Woodcombe  on  to  Head-brink. 
By  that  time  the  story  of  their  journey  was  spread  far  and 
wide.  There  was  a  man  named  Sorcerer-Hedinn  who  dwelt  in 
Carlinedale.  There  heathen  men  made  a  bargain  with  him  that 
he  should  put  Thangbrand  to  death  with  all  his  company.  He 
fared  upon  Arnstacksheath,  and  there  made  a  great  sacrifice 
when  Thangbrand  was  riding  from  the  east.  Then  the  earth 
burst  asunder  under  his  horse,  but  he  sprang  off  his  horse  and 
saved  himself  on  the  brink  of  the  gulf,  but  the  earth  swallowed 
up  the  horse  and  all  his  harness,  and  they  never  saw  him  more. 

Then  Thangbrand  praised  God. 

CHAPTER  XCVIII. 

OF  THANGBRAND  AND  GUDLEIF. 

Gudleif  now  searches  for  Sorcerer-Hedinn  and  finds  him  on  the 
heath,  and  chases  him  down  into  Carlinedale,  and  got  within 
spearshot  of  him,  and  shoots  a  spear  at  him  and  through  him. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Dyrholms  and  held  a  meeting  there, 
and  preached  the  faith  there,  and  there  Ingialld,  the  son  of 
Thorsteinn  Highbankawk,  became  a  Christian. 

Thence  they  fared  to  the  Fleetlithe  and  preached  the  faith 
there.  There  Weatherlid  the  Skald,  and  Ari  his  son,  spoke 
most  against  the  faith,  and  for  that  they  slew  Weatherlid,  and 
then  this  song  was  sung  about  it  — 

He  who  proved  his  blade  on  bucklers, 
South  went  through  the  land  to  whet 
Brand  that  oft  hath  felled  his  foeman, 
'Gainst  the  forge  which  foams  with  song  ;  * 
Mighty  wielder  of  war's  sickle 
Made  his  sword's  avenging  edge 
Hard  on  hero's  helm-prop  rattle,  f 
Skull  of  Weatherlid  the  Skald. 

*"  Forge  which  foams  with  song,"  the  poet's  head,  in  which  songs  are 
forged,  and  gush  forth  like  foaming  mead. 

f 11  Hero's  helm-prop,"  the  hero's,  man's,  head  which  supports  his  helm. 


OF  THANGBRAND  AND  GrUDLEIF.  181 


Thence  Thangbrand  fared  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Njal 
took  the  faith  and  all  his  house,  but  Mord  and  Valgard  went 
much  against  it,  and  thence  they  fared  out  across  the  rivers ; 
so  they  went  on  into  Hawk  dale  and  there  they  baptised  Hall,1 
and  he  was  then  three  winters  old. 

Thence  Thangbrand  fared  to  Grimsness,  there  Thorwald 
the  scurvy  gathered  a  band  against  him,  and  sent  word  to 
Wolf  Uggi's  son,  that  he  must  fare  against  Thangbrand  and 
slay  him,  and  made  this  song  on  him — 

To  the  wolf  in  Woden's  harness, 
Uggi's  worthy  warlike  son, 
I,  steel's  swinger  dearly  loving, 
This  my  simple  bidding  send ; 
That  the  wolf  of  Gods*  he  chaseth, — 
Man  who  snaps  at  chink  of  gold — 
Wolf  who  base  our  Gods  blasphemeth, 
I  the  other  wolf  f  will  crush. 

Wolf  sang  another  song  in  return — 

Swarthy  skarf  from  mouth  that  skimmeth 
Of  the  man  who  speaks  in  song 
Never  will  I  catch,  though  surely 
Wealthy  warrior  it  hath  sent ; 
Tender  of  the  sea-horse  snorting, 
E'en  though  ill  deeds  are  on  foot, 
Still  to  risk  mine  eyes  are  open  ; 
Harmful  'tis  to  snap  at  flies.  % 

"  And/'  says  he,  "  I  don't  mean  to  be  made  a  catspaw  by 
him,  but  let  him  take  heed  lest  his  tongue  twists  a  noose  for 
his  own  neck." 

And  after  that  the  messenger  fared  back  to  Thorwald  the 
scurvy  and  told  him  Wolf's  words.  Thorwald  had  many  men 
about  him,  and  gave  it  out  that  he  would  lie  in  wait  for  them 
on  Blue  wood- heath. 

Now  those  two,  Thangbrand  and  Gudleif,  ride  out  of 
Hawkdale,  and  there  they  came  upon  a  man  who  rode  to 
meet  them.  That  man  asked  for  Gudleif,  and  when  he  found 
him  he  said — 

1  It  is  needless  to  sav  that  this  Hall  was  not  Hall  of  the  Side. 

*  "  Wolf  of  Gods,"  the  "  caput  lupinum"  the  outlaw  of  heaven,  the  outcast 
from  Valhalla,  Thangbrand. 

f  "  The  other  wolf,"  Gudleif. 

Z"  Swarthy  skarf,"  the  skarf,  or  pelecanus  cai'bo,  the  cormorant.  He 
compares  the  message  of  Thorwald  to  the  cormorant  skimming  over  the  waves, 
and  says  he  will  never  take  it.  "Snap  at  flies,"  a  very  common  Icelandic 
metaphor  from  fish  rising  to  a  fly. 


182    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Thou  shalt  gain  by  being  the  brother  of  Thorgil  of  Rey- 
kiahole,  for  I  will  let  thee  know  that  they  have  set  many 
ambushes,  and  this  too,  that  Thorwald  the  scurvy  is  now  with 
his  band  at  Hestbeck  on  Grimsness." 

"  We  shall  not  the  less  for  all  that  ride  to  meet  him/'  says 
Gudleif,  and  then  they  turned  down  to  Hestbeck.  Thorwald 
was  then  come  across  the  brook,  and  Gudleif  said  to  Thang- 
brand — 

Here  is  now  Thorwald ;  let  us  rush  on  him  now."  Thang- 
brand  shot  a  spear  through  Thorwald,  but  Gudleif  smote  him 
on  the  shoulder  and  hewed  his  arm  off,  and  that  was  his 
death. 

After  that  they  ride  up  to  the  Thing,  and  it  was  a  near 
thing  that  the  kinsmen  of  Thorwald  had  fallen  on  Thangbrand, 
but  Njal  and  the  eastfirthers  stood  by  Thangbrand. 

Then  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  sang  this  rhyme  at  the  Hill  of 
Laws — 

Ever  will  I  Gods  blaspheme 
Freyja  metbinks  a  dog  does  seem, 
Freyja  a  dog  ?    Aye  !  let  them  be 
Both  dogs  together  Odin  and  she.* 

Hjallti  fared  abroad  that  summer  and  Gizur  the  white  with 
him,  but  Thangbrand's  ship  was  wrecked  away  east  at  Bulands- 
ness,  and  the  ship's  name  was  "  Bison 

Thangbrand  and  his  messmate  fared  right  through  the 
west  country,  and  Steinvora,  the  mother  of  Ref  the  Skald, 
came  against  him  ;  she  preached  the  heathen  faith  to  Thang- 
brand and  made  him  a  long  speech.  Thangbrand  held  his 
peace  while  she  spoke,  but  made  a  long  speech  after  her,  and 
turned  all  that  she  had  said  the  wrong  way  against  her. 

"  Hast  thou  heard/'  she  said,  "  how  Thor  challenged  Christ 
to  single  combat,  and  how  he  did  not  dare  to  fight  with 
Thor  ?  " 

"  I  have  heard  tell,"  says  Thangbrand,  "  that  Thor  was 
naught  but  dust  and  ashes,  if  God  had  not  willed  that  he  should 
live." 

"  Knowest  thou,"  she  says,  "  who  it  was  that  shattered  thy 
ship  ?  " 

"What  hast  thou  to  say  about  that  ?  "  he  asks. 
"That  I  will  tell  thee,"  she  says. 

*  Maurer  thinks  the  allusion  is  here  to  some  mythological  legend  on  Odin's 
adventures  which  has  not  come  down  to  us. 


OF  GEST  ODDLEIFS  SON.  183 


He  that  giant's  offspring  *  slayeth 
Broke  the  mew-field's  bison  stout, f 
Thus  the  Gods,  bell's  warder  X  grieving, 
Crushed  the  falcon  of  the  strand  ;  § 
To  the  courser  of  the  causeway  || 
Little  good  was  Christ  I  ween, 
When  Thor  shattered  ships  to  pieces 
Gylfi's  hart  11"  no  God  could  help. 

And  again  she  sang  another  song — 

Thangbrand's  vessel  from  her  moorings, 
Sea-king's  steed,  Thor  wrathful  tore, 
Shook  and  shattered  all  her  timbers, 
Hurled  her  broadside  on  the  beach  ; 
Ne'er  again  shall  Viking's  snow-shoe,** 
On  the  briny  billows  glide, 
For  a  storm  by  Thor  awakened, 
Dashed  the  bark  to  splinters  small. 

After  that  Thangbrand  and  Steinvora  parted,  and  they  fared 
west  to  Bardastrand. 


CHAPTER  XCIX. 


OF  GEST  ODDLEIF'S  SON. 

Gest  Oddleif's  son  dwelt  at  Hagi  on  Bardastrand.  He  was 
one  of  the  wisest  of  men,  so  that  he  foresaw  the  fates  and 
fortunes  of  men.  He  made  a  feast  for  Thangbrand  and  his 
men.  They  fared  to  Hagi  with  sixty  men.  Then  it  was  said 
that  there  were  two  hundred  heathen  men  to  meet  them,  and 
that  a  Baresark  was  looked  for  to  come  thither,  whose  name 
was  Otrygg,  and  all  were  afraid  of  him.  Of  him  such  great 
things  as  these  were  said,  that  he  feared  neither  fire  nor  sword, 
and  the  heathen  men  were  sore  afraid  at  his  coming.  Then 
Thangbrand  asked  if  men  were  willing  to  take  the  faith,  but 
all  the  heathen  men  spoke  against  it. 

*  "  He  that  giant's,"  etc.,  Thor. 

f  "  Mew-field's  bison,"  the  sea-going  ship,  which  sails  over  the  plain  of  the 
sea-mew. 

X  "  Bell's  warder,"  the  Christian  priest  whose  bell-ringing  formed  part  of 
the  rites  of  the  new  faith. 

§  "  Falcon  of  the  strand,"  ship. 

||  "  Courser  of  the  causeway,"  ship. 

II  "  Gylfi's  hart,"  ship. 

**  "  Viking's  snow-shoe,"  sea-king's  ship. 


184    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJA 


"  Well/'  says  Thangbrand,  "  I  will  give  you  the  means 
whereby  ye  shall  prove  whether  my  faith  is  better.  We  will 
hallow  two  fires.  The  heathen  men  shall  hallow  one  and  I  the 
other,  but  a  third  shall  be  unhallowed ;  and  if  the  Baresark  is 
afraid  of  the  one  that  I  hallow,  but  treads  both  the  others, 
then  ye  shall  take  the  faith." 

"  That  is  well-spoken/'  says  Gest,  "  and  I  will  agree  to  this 
for  myself  and  my  household." 

And  when  Gest  had  so  spoken,  then  many  more  agreed  to  it. 

Then  it  was  said  that  the  Baresark  was  coming  up  to  the 
homestead,  and  then  the  fires  were  made  and  burned  strong. 
Then  men  took  their  arms  and  sprang  up  on  the  benches,  and 
so  waited. 

The  Baresark  rushed  in  with  his  weapons.  He  comes  into 
the  room,  and  treads  at  once  the  fire  which  the  heathen  men 
had  hallowed,  and  so  comes  to  the  fire  that  Thangbrand  had 
hallowed,  and  dares  not  to  tread  it,  but  said  that  he  was  on  fire 
all  over.  He  hews  with  his  sword  at  the  bench,  but  strikes  a 
crossbeam  as  he  brandished  the  weapon  aloft.  Thangbrand 
smote  the  arm  of  the  Baresark  with  his  crucifix,  and  so  mighty 
a  token  followed  that  the  sword  fell  from  the  Baresark's 
hand. 

Then  Thangbrand  thrusts  a  sword  into  his  breast,  and 
Gudleif  smote  him  on  the  arm  and  hewed  it  off.  Then  many 
went  up  and  slew  the  Baresark. 

After  that  Thangbrand  asked  if  they  would  take  the  faith 
now  ? 

Gest  said  he  had  only  spoken  what  he  meant  to  keep  to. 

Then  Thangbrand  baptised  Gest  and  all  his  house  and 
many  others.  Then  Thangbrand  took  counsel  with  Gest 
whether  he  should  go  any  further  west  among  the  firths,  but 
Gest  set  his  face  against  that,  and  said  they  were  a  hard  race 
of  men  there,  and  ill  to  deal  with,  "  but  if  it  be  foredoomed  that 
this  faith  shall  make  its  way,  then  it  will  be  taken  as  law  at 
the  Althing,  and  then  all  the  chiefs  out  of  the  districts  will  be 
there 

"  I  did  all  that  I  could  at  the  Thing,"  says  Thangbrand, 
"and  it  was  very  uphill  work." 

"Still  thou  hast  done  most  of  the  work,"  says  Gest, 
"  though  it  may  be  fated  that  others  shall  make  Christianity 
law;  but  it  is  here  as  the  saying  runs,  'No  tree  falls  at  the 
first  stroke '." 

After  that  Gest  gave  Thangbrand  good  gifts,  and  he  fared 


GIZUR  THE  WHITE  AND  HJALLTI.  185 


back  south.  Thangbrand  fared  to  the  Southlander's  Quarter, 
and  so  to  the  Eastfirths.  He  turned  in  as  a  guest  at  Bergthors- 
knoll,  and  Njal  gave  him  good  gifts.  Thence  he  rode  east 
to  Alftafirth  to  meet  Hall  of  the  Side.  He  caused  his  ship 
to  be  mended,  and  heathen  men  called  it  "  Iron-basket 
On  board  that  ship  Thangbrand  fared  abroad,  and  Gudleif 
with  him. 


CHAPTER  C. 

OF  GIZUR  THE  WHITE  AND  HJALLTI. 

That  same  summer  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  was  outlawed  at  the 
Thing  for  blasphemy  against  the  Gods. 

Thangbrand  told  King  Olaf  of  all  the  mischief  that  the 
Icelanders  had  done  to  him,  and  said  that  they  were  such 
sorcerers  there  that  the  earth  burst  asunder  under  his  horse 
and  swallowed  up  the  horse. 

Then  King  Olaf  was  so  wroth  that  he  made  them  seize 
all  the  men  from  Iceland  and  set  them  in  dungeons,  and 
meant  to  slay  them. 

Then  they,  Gizur  the  white  and  Hjallti,  came  up  and 
offered  to  lay  themselves  in  pledge  for  those  men,  and  fare 
out  to  Iceland  and  preach  the  faith.  The  king  took  this  well, 
and  they  got  them  all  set  free  again. 

Then  Gizur  and  Hjallti  busked  their  ship  for  Iceland,  and 
were  soon  "boun".  They  made  the  land  at  Eyrar  when  ten 
weeks  of  summer  had  passed ;  they  got  them  horses  at  once, 
but  left  other  men  to  strip  their  ship.  Then  they  ride  with 
thirty  men  to  the  Thing,  and  sent  word  to  the  Christian  men 
that  they  must  be  ready  to  stand  by  them. 

Hjallti  stayed  behind  at  Reydarmull,  for  he  had  heard 
that  he  had  been  made  an  outlaw  for  blasphemy,  but  when 
they  came  to  the  "  Boiling  Kettle  "  1  down  below  the  brink  of 
the  Rift,2  there  came  Hjallti  after  them,  and  said  he  would 
not  let  the  heathen  men  see  that  he  was  afraid. of  them. 

Then  many  Christian  men  rode  to  meet  them,  and  they 

1  "  Boiling  Kettle."    This  was  a  hver,  or  hot  spring. 

2 This  was  the  "  Raven's  Rift,"  opposite  to  the  "  Great  Rift"  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Thingfield. 


186    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


ride  in  battle  array  to  the  Thing.  The  heathen  men  had 
drawn  up  their  men  in  array  to  meet  them,  and  it  was  a  near 
thing  that  the  whole  body  of  the  Thing  had  come  to  blows, 
but  still  it  did  not  go  so  far. 


CHAPTER  CI. 

OF  THORGEIR  OF  LIGHTWATER. 

There  was  a  man  named  Thorgeir  who  dwelt  at  Lightwater ; 
he  was  the  son  of  Tjorfi,  the  son  of  Thorkel  the  long,  the  son 
of  Kettle  Longneck.  His  mothers  name  was  Thoruna,  and 
she  was  the  daughter  of  Thorstein,  the  son  of  Sigmund,  the 
son  of  Bard  of  the  Nip.  Gudrida  was  the  name  of  his  wife ; 
she  was  a  daughter  of  Thorkel  the  black  of  Hleidrargarth. 
His  brother  was  Worm  wallet-back,  the  father  of  Hlenni  the 
old  of  Saurby. 

The  Christian  men  set  up  their  booths,  and  Gizur  the 
white  and  Hjallti  were  in  the  booths  of  the  men  from  Moss- 
fell.  The  day  after  both  sides  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and 
each,  the  Christian  men  as  well  as  the  heathen,  took  witness, 
and  declared  themselves  out  of  the  other's  laws,  and  then 
there  was  such  an  uproar  on  the  Hill  of  Laws  that  no  man 
could  hear  the  other's  voice. 

After  that  men  went  away,  and  all  thought  things  looked 
like  the  greatest  entanglement.  The  Christian  men  chose 
as  their  Speaker  Hall  of  the  Side,  but  Hall  went  to  Thorgeir, 
the  priest  of  Lightwater,  who  was  the  old  Speaker  of  the 
law,  and  gave  him  three  marks  of  silver  to  utter  what  the 
law  should  be,  but  still  that  was  most  hazardous  counsel,  since 
he  was  an  heathen. 

Thorgeir  lay  all  that  day  on  the  ground,  and  spread  a 
cloak  over  his  head,  so  that  no  man  spoke  with  him ;  but  the 
day  after  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  then  Thorgeir 
bade  them  be  silent  and  listen,  and  spoke  thus — 

"  It  seems  to  me  as  though  our  matters  were  come  to  a 
dead  lock,  if  we  are  not  all  to  have  one  and  the  same  law; 
for  if  there  be  a  sundering  of  the  laws,  then  there  will  be  a 
sundering  of  the  peace,  and  we  shall  never  be  able  to  live  in 
the  land.  Now,  I  will  ask  both  Christian  men  and  heathen 
whether  they  will  hold  to  those  laws  which  I  utter. 


THE  WEDDING  OF  HAUSKULD.  187 


They  all  say  they  would. 

He  said  he  wished  to  take  an  oath  of  them,  and  pledges 
that  they  would  hold  to  them,  and  they  all  said  "yea"  to 
that,  and  so  he  took  pledges  from  them. 

"  This  is  the  beginning  of  our  laws/'  he  said,  "  that  all 
men  shall  be  Christian  here  in  the  land,  and  believe  in  one 
God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  leave  off 
all  idol-worship,  not  expose  children  to  perish,  and  not  eat 
horseflesh.  It  shall  be  outlawry  if  such  things  are  proved 
openly  against  any  man ;  but  if  these  things  are  done  by 
stealth,  then  it  shall  be  blameless." 

But  all  this  heathendom  was  all  done  away  with  within 
a  few  years'  space,  so  that  those  things  were  not  allowed  to 
be  done  either  by  stealth  or  openly. 

Thorgeir  then  uttered  the  law  as  to  keeping  the  Lord's 
day  and  fast  days,  Yuletide  and  Easter,  and  all  the  greatest 
highdays  and  holidays. 

The  heathen  men  thought  they  had  been  greatly  cheated ; 
but  still  the  true  faith  was  brought  into  the  law,  and  so  all 
men  became  Christian  here  in  the  land. 

After  that  men  fare  home  from  the  Thing. 


CHAPTER  CH. 

THE  WEDDING  OF  HAUSKULD,  THE  PRIEST  OF  WHITENESS. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Njal  spoke  thus 
to  Hauskuld,  his  foster-son,  and  said — 
"I  would  seek  thee  a  match." 

Hauskuld  bade  him  settle  the  matter  as  he  pleased,  and 
asked  whether  he  was  most  likely  to  turn  his  eyes. 

"There  is  a  woman  called  Hildigunna,"  answers  Njal, 
"  and  she  is  the  daughter  of  Starkad,  the  son  of  Thord  Freys- 
priest.    She  is  the  best  match  I  know  of." 

"  See  thou  to  it,  foster-father,"  said  Hauskuld  ;  "  that  shall 
be  my  choice  which  thou  choosest." 

"Then  we  will  look  thitherward,"  says  Njal. 

A  little  while  after,  Njal  called  on  men  to  go  along  with 
him.  Then  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  Njal's  sons,  and  Kari 
Solmund's  son,  all  of  them  fared  with  him  and  they  rode  east 
to  Swinefell. 


188    THE  STOEY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


There  they  got  a  hearty  welcome. 

The  day  after,  Njal  and  Flosi  went  to  talk  alone,  and  the 
speech  of  Njal  ended  thus,  that  he  said — 

"  This  is  my  errand  here,  that  we  have  set  out  on  a  wooing- 
journey,  to  ask  for  thy  kinswoman  Hildigunna." 

"  At  whose  hand  ?  "  says  Flosi. 

u  At  the  hand  of  Hauskuld  my  foster-son/'  says  Njal. 

"  Such  things  are  well  meant/'  says  Flosi,  "  but  still  ye  run 
each  of  you  great  risk,  the  one  from  the  other ;  but  what  hast 
thou  to  say  of  Hauskuld  ?  " 

"Good  I  am  able  to  say  of  him/'  says  Njal ;  "and  besides, 
I  will  lay  down  as  much  money  as  will  seem  fitting  to  thy  niece 
and  thyself,  if  thou  wilt  think  of  making  this  match. " 

"We  will  call  her  hither/'  says  Flosi,  "and  know  how  she 
looks  on  the  man." 

Then  Hildigunna  was  called,  and  she  came  thither. 

Flosi  told  her  of  the  wooing,  but  she  said  she  was  a  proud- 
hearted  woman. 

"  And  I  know  not  how  things  will  turn  out  between  me 
and  men  of  like  spirit  ;  but  this,  too,  is  not  the  least  of  my 
dislike,  that  this  man  has  no  priesthood  or  leadership  over 
men,  but  thou  hast  always  said  that  thou  wouldest  not  wed  me 
to  a  man  who  had  not  the  priesthood." 

"This  is  quite  enough,"  says  Flosi,  "if  thou  wilt  not  be 
wedded  to  Hauskuld,  to  make  me  take  no  more  pains  about 
the  match." 

"  Nay  !  "  she  says,  "  I  do  not  say  that  I  will  not  be  wedded 
to  Hauskuld  if  they  can  get  him  a  priesthood  or  a  leadership 
over  men ;  but  otherwise  I  will  have  nothing  to  say  to  the 
match." 

"  Then,"  said  Njal,  "  I  will  beg  thee  to  let  this  match  stand 
over  for  three  winters,  that  1  may  see  what  I  can  do." 
Flosi  said  that  so  it  should  be. 

"I  will  only  bargain  for  this  one  thing,"  says  Hildigunna, 
"if  this  match  comes  to  pass,  that  we  shall  stay  here  away 
east." 

Njal  said  he  would  rather  leave  that  to  Hauskuld,  but 
Hauskuld  said  that  he  put  faith  in  many  men,  but  in  none  so 
much  as  his  foster-father. 

Now  they  ride  from  the  east. 

Njal  sought  to  get  a  priesthood  and  leadership  for  Hauskuld, 
but  no  one  was  willing  to  sell  his  priesthood,  and  now  the 
summer  passes  away  till  the  Althing. 


THE  WEDDING  OF  HAUSKULD.  189 


There  were  great  quarrels  at  the  Thing  that  summer,  and 
many  a  man  then  did  as  was  their  wont,  in  faring  to  see  Njal ; 
but  he  gave  such  counsel  in  men's  lawsuits  as  was  not  thought 
at  all  likely,  so  that  both  the  pleadings  and  the  defence  came 
to  naught,  and  out  of  that  great  strife  arose,  when  the  lawsuits 
could  not  be  brought  to  an  end,  and  men  rode  home  from  the 
Thing  unatoned. 

Now  things  go  on  till  another  Thing  comes.  Njal  rode  to 
the  Thing,  and  at  first  all  is  quiet  until  Njal  says  that  it  is  high 
time  for  men  to  give  notice  of  their  suits. 

Then  many  said  that  they  thought  that  came  to  little, 
when  no  man  could  get  his  suit  settled,  even  though  the 
witnesses  were  summoned  to  the  Althing,  "and  so/'  say  they, 
"we  would  rather  seek  our  rights  with  point  and  edge." 

"  So  it  must  not  be,"  says  Njal,  "  for  it  will  never  do  to 
have  no  law  in  the  land.  But  yet  ye  have  much  to  say  on 
your  side  in  this  matter,  and  it  behoves  us  who  know  the  law, 
and  who  are  bound  to  guide  the  law,  to  set  men  at  one  again, 
and  to  ensue  peace.  'Twere  good  counsel,  then,  methinks, 
that  we  call  together  all  the  chiefs  and  talk  the  matter  over." 

Then  they  go  to  the  Court  of  Laws,  and  Njal  spoke  and 
said — 

"  Thee,  Skapti  Thorod's  son  and  you  other  chiefs,  I  call  on, 
and  say,  that  methinks  our  lawsuits  have  come  into  a  deadlock, 
if  we  have  to  follow  up  our  suits  in  the  Quarter  Courts,  and 
they  get  so  entangled  that  they  can  neither  be  pleaded  nor 
ended.  Methinks,  it  were  wiser  if  we  had  a  Fifth  Court,  and 
there  pleaded  those  suits  which  cannot  be  brought  to  an  end 
in  the  Quarter  Courts." 

"How,"  said  Skapti,  "wilt  thou  name  a  Fifth  Court,  when 
the  Quarter  Court  is  named  for  the  old  priesthoods,  three 
twelves  in  each  quarter  ? " 

"I  can  see  help  for  that,"  says  Njal,  "by  setting  up  new 
priesthoods,  and  filling  them  with  the  men  who  are  best  fitted 
in  each  Quarter,  and  then  let  those  men  who  are  willing  to 
agree  to  it,  declare  themselves  ready  to  join  the  new  priest's 
Thing." 

"  Well,"  says  Skapti,  "  we  will  take  this  choice  ;  but  what 
weighty  suits  shall  come  before  the  court  ?  " 

"These  matters  shall  come  before  it,"  says  Njal — "all 
matters  of  contempt  of  the  Thing,  such  as  if  men  bear  false 
witness,  or  utter  a  false  finding ;  hither,  too,  shall  come  all 
those  suits  in  which  the  Judges  are  divided  in  opinion  in  the 


190    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Quarter  Court ;  then  they  shall  be  summoned  to  the  Fifth 
Court ;  so,  too,  if  men  offer  bribes,  or  take  them,  for  their  help 
in  suits.  In  this  court  all  the  oaths  shall  be  of  the  strongest 
kind,  and  two  men  shall  follow  every  oath,  who  shall  support 
on  their  words  of  honour  what  the  others  swear.  So  it  shall 
be  also,  if  the  pleadings  on  one  side  are  right  in  form,  and  the 
other  wrong,  that  the  judgment  shall  be  given  for  those  that 
are  right  in  form.  Every  suit  in  this  court  shall  be  pleaded 
just  as  is  now  done  in  the  Quarter  Court,  save  and  except  that 
when  four  twelves  are  named  in  the  Fifth  Court,  then  the 
plaintiff  shall  name  and  set  aside  six  men  out  of  the  court, 
and  the  defendant  other  six  ;  but  if  he  will  not  set  them 
aside,  then  the  plaintiff  shall  name  them  and  set  them  aside 
as  he  has  done  with  his  own  six  ;  but  if  the  plaintiff  does  not 
set  them  aside,  then  the  suit  comes  to  naught,  for  three 
twelves  shall  utter  judgment  on  all  suits.  We  shall  also  have 
this  arrangement  in  the  Court  of  Laws,  that  those  only  shall 
have  the  right  to  make  or  change  laws  who  sit  on  the  middle 
bench,  and  to  this  bench  those  only  shall  be  chosen  who  are 
wisest  and  best.  There,  too,  shall  the  Fifth  Court  sit ;  but  if 
those  who  sit  in  the  Court  of  Laws  are  not  agreed  as  to  what 
they  shall  allow  or  bring  in  as  law,  then  they  shall  clear  the 
court  for  a  division,  and  the  majority  shall  bind  the  rest ;  but 
if  any  man  who  has  a  seat  in  the  Court  be  outside  the  Court 
of  Laws  and  cannot  get  inside  it,  or  thinks  himself  overborne 
in  the  suit,  then  he  shall  forbid  them  by  a  protest,  so  that  they 
can  hear  it  in  the  Court,  and  then  he  has  made  all  their  grants 
and  all  their  decisions  void  and  of  none  effect,  and  stopped 
them  by  his  protest/' 

After  that,  Skapti  Thorod's  son  brought  the  Fifth  Court 
into  the  law,  and  all  that  was  spoken  of  before.  Then  men 
went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  men  set  up  new  priesthoods  : 
in  the  Northlanders'  Quarter  were  these  new  priesthoods. 
The  priesthood  of  the  Melmen  in  Midfirth,  and  the  Laufe- 
singers'  priesthood  in  the  Eyjafirth. 

Then  Njal  begged  for  a  hearing,  and  spoke  thus — 
"It  is  known  to  many  men  what  passed  between  my  sons 
and  the  men  of  Gritwater  when  they  slew  Thrain  Sigfus'  son. 
But  for  all  that  we  settled  the  matter ;  and  now  I  have  taken 
Hauskuld  into  my  house,  and  planned  a  marriage  for  him  if 
he  can  get  a  priesthood  anywhere ;  but  no  man  will  sell  his 
priesthood,  and  so  I  will  beg  you  to  give  me  leave  to  set  up  a 
new  priesthood  at  Whiteness  for  Hauskuld." 


HAUSKULD  NJAL'S  SON'S  SLAYING.  191 


He  got  this  leave  from  all,  and  after  that  he  set  up  the 
new  priesthood  for  Hauskuld ;  and  he  was  afterwards  called 
Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness. 

After  that,  men  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  Njal  stayed 
but  a  short  time  at  home  ere  he  rides  east  to  Swine  fell,  and 
his  sons  with  him,  and  again  stirs  in  the  matter  of  the  marriage 
with  Flosi ;  but  Flosi  said  he  was  ready  to  keep  faith  with 
them  in  everything. 

Then  Hildigunna  was  betrothed  to  Hauskuld,  and  the  day 
for  the  wedding  feast  was  fixed,  and  so  the  matter  ended. 
They  then  ride  home,  but  they  rode  again  shortly  to  the  bridal, 
and  Flosi  paid  down  all  her  goods  and  money  after  the 
wedding,  and  all  went  off  well. 

They  fared  home  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  were  there  the 
next  year,  and  all  went  well  between  Hildigunna  and  Berg- 
thora.  But  the  next  spring  Njal  bought  land  in  Ossaby,  and 
hands  it  over  to  Hauskuld,  and  thither  he  fares  to  his  own 
abode.  Njal  got  him  all  his  household,  and  there  was  such 
love  between  them  all,  that  none  of  them  thought  anything 
that  he  said  or  did  any  worth  unless  the  others  had  a  share 
in  it. 

Hauskuld  dwelt  long  at  Ossaby,  and  each  backed  the 
other's  honour,  and  Njal's  sons  were  always  in  Hauskuld's 
company.  Their  friendship  was  so  warm,  that  each  house 
bade  the  other  to  a  feast  every  harvest,  and  gave  each  other 
great  gifts ;  and  so  it  goes  on  for  a  long  while. 


CHAPTER  CIIL 

THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD  NJAL'S  SON. 

There  was  a  man  named  Lyting ;  he  dwelt  at  Samstede,  and 
he  had  to  wife  a  woman  named  Steinvora  ;  she  was  a  daughter 
of  Sigfus,  and  Thrain's  sister.  Lyting  was  tall  of  growth  and 
a  strong  man,  wealthy  in  goods  and  ill  to  deal  with. 

It  happened  once  that  Lyting  had  a  feast  in  his  house  at 
Samstede,  and  he  had  bidden  thither  Hauskuld  and  the  sons 
of  Sigfus,  and  they  all  came.  There,  too,  was  Grani  Gunnar's 
son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son. 

Hauskuld  Njal's  son  and  his  mother  had  a  farm  at  Holt, 


192    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


and  he  was  always  riding  to  his  farm  from  Bergthorsknoll, 
and  his  path  lay  by  the  homestead  at  Samstede.  Hauskuld 
had  a  son  called  Amund ;  he  had  been  born  blind,  but  for  all 
that  he  was  tall  and  strong.  Lyting  had  two  brothers — the 
one's  name  was  Halls tein,  and  the  other's  Hallgrim.  They 
were  the  most  unruly  of  men,  and  they  were  ever  with  their 
brother,  for  other  men  could  not  bear  their  temper. 

Lyting  was  out  of  doors  most  of  that  day,  but  every  now 
and  then  he  went  inside  his  house.  At  last  he  had  gone  to 
his  seat,  when  in  came  a  woman  who  had  been  out  of  doors, 
and  she  said — 

"  You  were  too  far  off  to  see  outside  how  that  proud  fellow 
rode  by  the  farmyard  ! " 

"What  proud  fellow  was  that,"  says  Lyting,  "of  whom 
thou  speakest  ?  " 

"  Hauskuld  Njal's  son  rode  here  by  the  yard,"  she  says. 

"He  rides  often  here  by  the  farmyard,"  said  Lyting,  "and 
I  can't  say  that  it  does  not  try  my  temper ;  and  now  I  will 
make  thee  an  offer,  Hauskuld  [Sigfus'  son] ,  to  go  along  with 
thee  if  thou  wilt  avenge  thy  father  and  slay  Hauskuld  Njal's 
son." 

"That  I  will  not  do,"  says  Hauskuld,  "for  then  I  should 
repay  Njal,  my  foster  father,  evil  for  good,  and  mayst  thou 
and  thy  feasts  never  thrive  henceforth." 

With  that  he  sprang  up  away  from  the  board,  and  made 
them  catch  his  horses,  and  rode  home . 

Then  Lyting  said  to  Grani  Gunnar's  son — 

"Thou  wert  by  when  Thrain  was  slain,  and  that  will  still 
be  in  thy  mind ;  and  thou,  too,  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  thou, 
Lambi  Sigurd's  son.  Now,  my  will  is  that  we  ride  t©  meet 
him  this  evening,  and  slay  him." 

"  No,"  says  Grani,  "  I  will  not  fall  on  Njal's  son,  and  so 
break  the  atonement  which  good  men  and  true  have  made." 

With  like  words  spoke  each  man  of  them,  and  so,  too, 
spoke  all  the  sons  of  Sigfus ;  and  they  took  that  counsel  to 
ride  away. 

Then  Lyting  said,  when  they  had  gone  away — 
"All  men  know  that  I  have  taken  no  atonement  for  my 
brother-in-law  Thrain,  and  I  shall  never  be  content  that  no 
vengeance — -man  for  man — shall  be  taken  for  him." 

After  that  he  called  on  his  two  brothers  to  go  with  him, 
and  three  house-carles  as  well.  They  went  on  the  way  to 
meet  Hauskuld  [Njal's  son]  as  he  came  back,  and  lay  in  wait 


HAUSKULD  NJAL'S  SON'S  SLAYING.  193 


for  him  north  of  the  farmyard  in  a  pit ;  and  there  they  bided 
till  it  was  about  mideven  [six  o'clock  p.m.].  Then  Hauskuld 
rode  up  to  them.  They  jump  up  all  of  them  with  their  arms, 
and  fall  on  him.  Hauskuld  guarded  himself  well,  so  that  for 
a  long  while  they  could  not  get  the  better  of  him ;  but  the 
end  of  it  was  at  last  that  he  wounded  Lyting  on  the  arm,  and 
slew  two  of  his  serving-men,  and  then  fell  himself.  They 
gave  Hauskuld  sixteen  wounds,  but  they  hewed  not  off  the 
head  from  his  body.  They  fared  away  into  the  wood  east  of 
Rangriver,  and  hid  themselves  there. 

That  same  evening,  Rodny's  shepherd  found  Hauskuld 
dead,  and  went  home  and  told  Rodny  of  her  son's  slaying. 

"Was  he  surely  dead  ?  "  she  asks  ;  "was  his  head  off?  " 

"  It  was  not,"  he  says. 

"I  shall  know  if  I  see,"  she  says ;  "so  take  thou  my  horse 
and  driving  gear." 

He  did  so,  and  got  all  things  ready,  and  then  they  went 
thither  where  Hauskuld  lay. 

She  looked  at  the  wounds,  and  said — 

"'Tis  even  as  I  thought,  that  he  could  not  be  quite  dead, 
and  Njal  no  doubt  can  cure  greater  wounds." 

After  that  they  took  the  body  and  laid  it  on  the  sledge 
and  drove  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  drew  it  into  the  sheepcote, 
and  made  him  sit  upright  against  the  wall. 

Then  they  went  both  of  them  and  knocked  at  the  door, 
and  a  house-carle  went  to  the  door.  She  steals  in  by  him  at 
once,  and  goes  till  she  comes  to  Njal's  bed. 

She  asked  whether  Njal  were  awake  ?  He  said  he  had 
slept  up  to  that  time,  but  was  then  awake. 

"  But  why  art  thou  come  hither  so  early  ? " 

"  Rise  thou  up,"  said  Rodny,  "  from  thy  bed  by  my  rival's 
side,  and  come  out,  and  she  too,  and  thy  sons,  to  see  thy  son 
Hauskuld." 

They  rose  and  went  out. 

"Let  us  take  our  weapons,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "and  have 
them  with  us." 

Njal  said  naught  at  that,  and  they  ran  in  and  came  out 
again  armed. 

She  goes  first  till  they  come  to  the  sheepcote  ;  she  goes  in 
and  bade  them  follow  her.  Then  she  lit  a  torch  and  held  it 
up  and  said — 

"  Here,  Njal,  is  thy  son  Hauskuld,  and  he  hath  gotten 
many  wounds  upon  him,  and  now  he  will  need  leechcraft." 

13 


194    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"I  see  death  marks  on  him/'  said  Njal,  "but  no  signs  of 
life  ;  but  why  hast  thou  not  closed  his  eyes  and  nostrils  ?  see, 
his  nostrils  are  still  open  !  " 

"That  duty  I  meant  for  Skarphedinn/'  she  says. 

Then  Skarphedinn  went  to  close  his  eyes  and  nostrils,  and 
said  to  his  father — 

"  Who,  sayest  thou,  hath  slain  him  ?  " 

"Lyting  of  Samstede  and  his  brothers  must  have  slain 
him/'  says  Njal. 

Then  Rodny  said,  "  Into  thy  hands,  Skarphedinn,  I  leave 
it  to  take  vengeance  for  thy  brother,  and  I  ween  that  thou 
wilt  take  it  well,  though  he  be  not  lawfully  begotten,  and 
that  thou  wilt  not  be  slow  to  take  it ". 

"Wonderfully  do  ye  men  behave/'  said  Bergthora,  "when 
ye  slay  men  for  small  cause,  but  talk  and  tarry  over  such 
wrongs  as  this  until  no  vengeance  at  all  is  taken  ;  and  now 
tidings  of  this  will  soon  come  to  Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of 
Whiteness,  and  he  will  be  offering  you  atonement,  and  you 
will  grant  him  that,  but  now  is  the  time  to  set  about  it,  if  ye 
seek  for  vengeance/ ' 

"Our  mother  eggs  us  on  now  with  a  just  goading/'  said 
Skarphedinn,  and  sang  a  song. 

Well  we  know  the  warrior's  tempter,* 
One  and  all,  well,  father  thine, 
But  atonement  to  the  mother, 
Snake-land's  stem  f  and  thee  were  base  ; 
He  that  hoardeth  ocean's  fire  X 
Hearing  this  will  leave  his  home  ; 
Wound  of  weapon  us  hath  smitten, 
Worse  the  lot  of  those  that  wait ! 

After  that  they  all  ran  out  of  the  sheepcote,  but  Rodny 
went  indoors  with  Njal,  and  was  there  the  rest  of  the  night. 

*  "  Warrior's  temper,"  the  temper  of  Hauskuld  of  Whiteness, 
t  "  Snake-land's  stem,"  a  periphrasis  for  woman,  Rodny. 
J"He  that  hoardeth  ocean's  fire,"  a  periphrasis  for  man,  Hauskuld  of 
Whiteness. 


SLAYING  OF  LYTING'S  BROTHERS.  195 


CHAPTER  CIV. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  LYTING'S  BROTHERS. 

Now  we  must  speak  of  Skarphedinn  and  his  brothers,  how 
they  bend  their  course  up  to  Rangriver.  Then  Skarphedinn 
said — 

"  Stand  we  here  and  listen,  and  let  us  go  stilly,  for  I  hear 
the  voices  of  men  up  along  the  river's  bank.  But  will  ye, 
Helgi  and  Grim,  deal  with  Lyting  single-handed,  or  with  both 
his  brothers  ?  " 

They  said  they  would  sooner  deal  with  Lyting  alone. 

"Still,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "there  is  more  game  in  him, 
and  methinks  it  were  ill  if  he  gets  away,  but  I  trust  myself 
best  for  not  letting  him  escape." 

"  We  will  take  such  steps,"  says  Helgi,  "  if  we  get  a  chance 
at  him,  that  he  shall  not  slip  through  our  fingers." 

Then  they  went  thitherward,  where  they  heard  the  voices 
of  men,  and  see  where  Lyting  and  his  brothers  are  by  a  stream. 

Skarphedinn  leaps  over  the  stream  at  once,  and  alights  on 
the  sandy  brink  on  the  other  side.  There  upon  it  stands 
Hallgrim  and  his  brother.  Skarphedinn  smites  at  Hallgrim's 
thigh,  so  that  he  cut  the  leg  clean  off,  but  he  grasps  Hallstein 
with  his  left  hand.  Lyting  thrust  at  Skarphedinn,  but  Helgi 
came  up  then  and  threw  his  shield  before  the  spear,  and  caught 
the  blow  on  it.  Lyting  took  up  a  stone  and  hurled  it  at 
Skarphedinn,  and  he  lost  his  hold  on  Hallstein.  Hallstein 
sprang  up  the  sandy  bank,  but  could  get  up  it  in  no  other 
way  than  by  crawling  on  his  hands  and  knees.  Skarphedinn 
made  a  side  blow  at  him  with  his  axe,  "the  ogress  of  war," 
and  hews  asunder  his  backbone.  Now  Lyting  turns  and  flies, 
but  Helgi  and  Grim  both  went  after  him,  and  each  gave  him 
a  wound,  but  still  Lyting  got  across  the  river  away  from  them, 
and  so  to  the  horses,  and  gallops  till  he  comes  to  Ossaby. 

Hauskuld  was  at  home,  and  meets  him  at  once.  Lyting 
told  him  of  these  deeds. 

"Such  things  were  to  be  looked  for  by  thee,"  says  Haus- 
kuld.    "Thou  hast  behaved  like  a  madman,  and  here  the 
truth  of  the  old  saw  will  be  proved  :  ( but  a  short  while  is  hand 
I      fain  of  blow  \    Methinks  what  thou  hast  got  to  look  to  now  is 
I      whether  thou  wilt  be  able  to  save  thy  life  or  not." 

"  Sure  enough,"  says  Lyting,  "  I  had  hard  work  to  get  away, 


196    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


but  still  I  wish  now  that  thou  wouldest  get  me  atoned  with 
Njal  and  his  sons,  so  that  I  might  keep  my  farm." 
"  So  it  shall  be/'  says  Hauskuld. 

After  that  Hauskuld  made  them  saddle  his  horse,  and  rode 
to  Bergthorsknoll  with  five  men.  Njal's  sons  were  then  come 
home  and  had  laid  them  down  to  sleep. 

Hauskuld  went  at  once  to  see  Njal,  and  they  began  to  talk. 

"  Hither  am  I  come/'  said  Hauskuld  to  Njal,  "  to  beg  a 
boon  on  behalf  of  Lyting,  my  uncle.  He  has  done  great 
wickedness  against  you  and  yours,  broken  his  atonement  and 
slain  thy  son." 

"  Lyting  will  perhaps  think,"  said  Njal,  "  that  he  has 
already  paid  a  heavy  fine  in  the  loss  of  his  brothers,  but  if  I 
grant  him  any  terms,  I  shall  let  him  reap  the  good  of  my  love 
for  thee,  and  I  will  tell  thee  before  I  utter  the  award  of  atone- 
ment, that  Lyting' s  brothers  shall  fall  as  outlaws.  Nor  shall 
Lyting  have  any  atonement  for  his  wounds,  but  on  the  other 
hand,  he  shall  pay  the  full  blood-fine  for  Hauskuld." 

"My  wish,"  said  Hauskuld,  "is,  that  thou  shouldest  make 
thine  own  terms." 

"  Well,"  says  Njal,  "  then  I  will  utter  the  award  at  once  if 
thou  wilt." 

"  Wilt  thou,"  says  Hauskuld,  u  that  thy  sons  should  be  by  ?  " 

"  Then  we  should  be  no  nearer  an  atonement  than  we  were 
before,"  says  Njal,  "  but  they  will  keep  to  the  atonement  which 
I  utter." 

Then  Hauskuld  said,  "Let  us  close  the  matter  then,  and 
handsel  him  peace  on  behalf  of  thy  sons ". 

"  So  it  shall  be,"  says  Njal.  "  My  will  then  is  that  he  pays 
two  hundred  in  silver  for  the  slaying  of  Hauskuld,  but  he  may 
still  dwell  at  Samstede  ;  and  yet  I  think  it  were  wiser  if  he 
sold  his  land  and  changed  his  abode  ;  but  not  for  this  quarrel ; 
neither  I  nor  my  sons  will  break  our  pledges  of  peace  to  him  : 
but  methinks  it  may  be  that  some  one  may  rise  up  in  this 
country  against  whom  he  may  have  to  be  on  his  guard.  Yet, 
lest  it  should  seem  that  I  make  a  man  an  outcast  from  his 
native  place,  I  allow  him  to  be  here  in  this  neighbourhood, 
but  in  that  case  he  alone  is  answerable  for  what  may  happen." 

After  that  Hauskuld  fared  home,  and  Njal's  sons  woke  up 
as  he  went,  and  asked  their  father  who  had  come,  but  he  told 
them  that  his  foster-son  Hauskuld  had  been  there. 

"He  must  have  come  to  ask  a  boon  for  Lyting  then/'  said 
Skarphedinn. 


OF  AMUND  THE  BLIND.  197 


"So  it  was/'  says  Njal. 

u  111  was  it  then/'  says  Grim. 

"  Hauskuld  could  not  have  thrown  his  shield  before  him/' 
says  Njal,  "if  thou  hadst  slain  him,  as  it  was  meant  thou 
shouldst." 

u  Let  us  throw  no  blame  on  our  father,"  says  Skarphedinn. 
Now  it  is  to  be  said  that  this  atonement  was  kept  between 
them  afterwards. 


CHAPTER  CV. 

OF  AMUND  THE  BLIND. 

That  event  happened  three  winters  after  at  the  Thingskala- 
Thing  that  Amund  the  blind  was  at  the  Thing  ;  he  was  the 
son  of  Hauskuld  Njal's  son.  He  made  men  lead  him  about 
among  the  booths,  and  so  he  came  to  the  booth  inside  which 
was  Lyting  of  Samstede.  He  made  them  lead  him  into  the 
booth  till  he  came  before  Lyting. 

"  Is  Lyting  of  Samstede  here  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  What  dost  thou  want  ?  "  says  Lyting. 

"I  want  to  know,"  says  Amund,  "what  atonement  thou 
wilt  pay  me  for  my  father.  I  am  base-born,  and  I  have 
touched  no  fine." 

"  I  have  atoned  for  the  slaying  of  thy  father,"  says  Lyting, 
"with  a  full  price,  and  thy  father's  father  and  thy  father's 
brothers  took  the  money ;  but  my  brothers  fell  without  a 
price  as  outlaws  ;  and  so  it  was  that  I  had  both  done  an  ill- 
deed,  and  paid  dear  for  it." 

"  I  ask  not,"  says  Amund,  "as  to  thy  having  paid  an  atone- 
ment to  them.  I  know  that  ye  two  are  now  friends,  but  I  ask 
this,  what  atonement  thou  wilt  pay  to  me  ?  " 

"  None  at  all,"  says  Lyting. 

"  I  cannot  see,"  says  Amund,  "  how  thou  canst  have  right 
before  God,  when  thou  hast  stricken  me  so  near  the  heart ; 
but  all  I  can  say  is,  that  if  I  were  blessed  with  the  sight  of  both 
my  eyes,  I  would  have  either  a  money  fine  for  my  father,  or 
revenge  man  for  man;  and  so  may  God  judge  between  us." 

After  that  he  went  out ;  but  when  he  came  to  the  door  of 
the  booth,  he  turned  short  round  towards  the  inside.  Then  his 
eyes  were  opened,  and  he  said — 


198    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


u  Praised  be  the  Lord  !  now  I  see  what  His  will  is." 

With  that  he  ran  straight  into  the  booth  until  he  comes 
before  Lyting,  and  smites  him  with  an  axe  on  the  head,  so  that 
it  sunk  in  up  to  the  hammer,  and  gives  the  axe  a  pull  towards 
him. 

Lyting  fell  forwards  and  was  dead  at  once. 

Amund  goes  out  to  the  door  of  the  booth,  and  when  he  got 
to  the  very  same  spot  on  which  he  had  stood  when  his  eyes 
were  opened,  lo !  they  were  shut  again,  and  he  was  blind  all 
his  life  after. 

Then  he  made  them  lead  him  to  Njal  and  his  sons,  and  he 
told  them  of  Lyting's  slaying. 

"Thou  may  est  not  be  blamed  for  this,"  says  Njal,  "for 
such  things  are  settled  by  a  higher  power ;  but  it  is  worth 
while  to  take  warning  from  such  events,  lest  we  cut  any  short 
who  have  such  near  claims  as  Amund  had." 

After  that  Njal  offered  an  atonement  to  Lyting's  kinsmen. 
Hauskuld  the  Priest  of  Whiteness  had  a  share  in  bringing 
Lyting's  kinsmen  to  take  the  fine,  and  then  the  matter  was 
put  to  an  award,  and  half  the  fines  fell  away  for  the  sake  of 
the  claim  which  he  seemed  to  have  on  Lyting. 

After  that  men  came  forward  with  pledges  of  peace  and 
good  faith,  and  Lyting's  kinsmen  granted  pledges  to  Amund. 
Men  rode  home  from  the  Thing  ;  and  now  all  is  quiet  for  a 
long  while. 


CHAPTER  CVI. 

OF  VALGARD  THE  GUILEFUL. 

Valgard  the  guileful  came  back  to  Iceland  that  summer ;  he 
was  then  still  heathen.  He  fared  to  Hof  to  his  son  Mord's 
house,  and  was  there  the  winter  over.    He  said  to  Mord — 

"  Here  I  have  ridden  far  and  wide  all  over  the  neighbour- 
hood, and  methinks  I  do  not  know  it  for  the  same.  I  came  to 
Whiteness,  and  there  I  saw  many  tofts  of  booths  and  much 
ground  levelled  for  building.  I  came  to  Thingskala-Thing, 
and  there  I  saw  all  our  booths  broken  down.  What  is  the 
meaning  of  such  strange  things  ?  " 

"  New  priesthoods,"  answers  Mord,  "  have  been  set  up  here, 


OF  MORD  AND  NJAL'S  SONS.  199 


and  a  law  for  a  Fifth  Court,  and  men  have  declared  themselves 
out  of  my  Thing,  and  have  gone  over  to  Hauskuld's  Thing." 

i(  111  hast  thou  repaid  me/'  said  Valgard,  u  for  giving  up  to 
thee  my  priesthood,  when  thou  hast  handled  it  so  little  like  a 
man,  and  now  my  wish  is  that  thou  shouldst  pay  them  off'  by 
something  that  will  drag  them  all  down  to  death ;  and  this 
thou  canst  do  by  setting  them  by  the  ears  by  tale-bearing,  so 
that  Njal's  sons  may  slay  Hauskuld ;  but  there  are  many  who 
will  have  the  blood- feud  after  him,  and  so  Njal's  sons  will  be 
slain  in  that  quarrel." 

"  I  shall  never  be  able  to  get  that  done/'  says  Mord. 

"I  will  give  thee  a  plan,"  says  Valgard ;  "thou  shalt  ask 
Njal's  sons  to  thy  house,  and  send  them  away  with  gifts,  but 
thou  shalt  keep  thy  tale-bearing  in  the  back  ground  until  great 
friendship  has  sprung  up  between  you,  and  they  trust  thee  no 
worse  than  their  own  selves.  So  wilt  thou  be  able  to  avenge 
thyself  on  Skarphedinn  for  that  he  took  thy  money  from  thee 
after  Gunnar  s  death  ;  and  in  this  wise,  further  on,  thou  wilt  be 
able  to  seize  the  leadership  when  they  are  all  dead  and  gone." 

This  plan  they  settled  between  them  should  be  brought  to 
pass  ;  and  Mord  said — 

"  I  would,  father,  that  thou  wouldst  take  on  thee  the  new 
faith.    Thou  art  an  old  man." 

"  I  will  not  do  that,"  says  Valgard.  u  I  would  rather  that 
thou  shouldst  cast  off  the  faith,  and  see  what  follows  then." 

Mord  said  he  would  not  do  that.  Valgard  broke  crosses 
before  Mord's  face,  and  all  holy  tokens.  A  little  after  Val- 
gard took  a  sickness  and  breathed  his  last,  and  he  was  laid  in 
a  cairn  by  Hof. 


CHAPTER  CVII. 

OF  MORD  AND  NJAL'S  SONS. 

Some  while  after  Mord  rode  to  Bergthorsknoll  and  saw  Skarp- 
hedinn there  ;  he  fell  into  very  fair  words  with  them,  and  so  he 
talked  the  whole  day,  and  said  he  wished  to  be  good  friends 
with  them,  and  to  see  much  of  them. 

Skarphedinn  took  it  all  well,  but  said  he  had  never  sought 
for  anything  of  the  kind  before.    So  it  came  about  that  he  got 


200    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


himself  into  such  great  friendship  with  them,  that  neither  side 
thought  they  had  taken  any  good  counsel  unless  the  other  had 
a  share  in  it. 

Njal  always  disliked  his  coming  thither,  and  it  often 
happened  that  he  was  angry  with  him. 

It  happened  one  day  that  Mord  came  to  Bergthorsknoll, 
and  Mord  said  to  Njal's  sons — 

"  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  give  a  feast  yonder,  and  I 
mean  to  drink  in  my  heirship  after  my  father,  but  to  that  feast 
I  wish  to  bid  you,  Njal's  sons,  and  Kari ;  and  at  the  same  time 
I  give  you  my  word  that  ye  shall  not  fare  away  giftless." 

They  promised  to  go,  and  now  he  fares  home  and  makes 
ready  the  feast.  He  bade  to  it  many  householders,  and  that 
feast  was  very  crowded. 

Thither  came  Njal's  sons  and  Kari.  Mord  gave  Skarp- 
hedinn  a  brooch  of  gold,  and  a  silver  belt  to  Kari,  and  good 
gifts  to  Grim  and  Helgi. 

They  come  home  and  boast  of  these  gifts,  and  show  them 
to  Njal.  He  said  they  would  be  bought  full  dear,  "  and  take 
heed  that  ye  do  not  repay  the  giver  in  the  coin  which  he 
no  doubt  wishes  to  get  ". 


CHAPTER  CVIII. 

OF  THE  SLANDER  OF  MORD  VALGARD'S  SON. 

A  little  after  Njal's  sons  and  Hauskuld  were  to  have  their 
yearly  feasts,  and  they  were  the  first  to  bid  Hauskuld  to  come 
to  them. 

Skarphedinn  had  a  brown  horse  four  winters  old,,  both  tall 
and  sightly.  He  was  a  stallion,  and  had  never  yet  been 
matched  in  fight.  That  horse  Skarphedinn  gave  to  Hauskuld, 
and  along  with  him  two  mares.  They  all  gave  Hauskuld 
gifts,  and  assured  him  of  their  friendship. 

After  that  Hauskuld  bade  them  to  his  house  at  Ossaby, 
and  had  many  guests  to  meet  them,  and  a  great  crowd. 

It  happened  that  he  had  just  then  taken  down  his  hall, 
but  he  had  built  three  outhouses,  and1  there  the  beds  were 
made. 

So  all  that  were  bidden  came,  and  the  feast  went  off  very 


SLANDER  OF  MORD'S-SOiV 


well.  But  when  men  were  to  go  home  Hauskuld  picked  out 
good  gifts  for  them,  and  went  a  part  of  the  way  with  Njal's 
sons. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  followed  him  and  all  the  crowd,  and 
both  sides  said  that  nothing  should  ever  come  between  them 
to  spoil  their  friendship. 

A  little  while  after  Mord  came  to  Ossaby  and  called  Haus- 
kuld out  to  talk  with  him,  and  they  went  aside  and  spoke. 

"  What  a  difference  in  manliness  there  is,"  said  Mord, 
"  between  thee  and  Njal's  sons  !  Thou  gavest  them  good  gifts, 
but  they  gave  thee  gifts  with  great  mockery." 

"  How  makest  thou  that  out  ?  "  says  Hauskuld. 

"  They  gave  thee  a  horse  which  they  called  a  (  dark  horse/ 
and  that  they  did  out  of  mockery  at  thee,  because  they 
thought  thee  too  untried.  I  can  tell  thee  also  that  they  envy 
thee  the  priesthood.  Skarphedinn  took  it  up  as  his  own  at  the 
Thing  when  thou  earnest  not  to  the  Thing  at  the  summoning 
of  the  Fifth  Court,  and  Skarphedinn  never  means  to  let  it  go." 

"That  is  not  true,"  says  Hauskuld,  "for  I  got  it  back  at 
the  Folkmote  last  harvest." 

"  Then  that  was  Njal's  doing,"  says  Mord.  "  They  broke, 
too,  the  atonement  about  Lyting." 

"I  do  not  mean  to  lay  that  at  their  door,"  says  Hauskuld. 

"Well,"  says  Mord,  "thou  canst  not  deny  that  when  y< 
two,  Skarphedinn  and  thou,  were  going  east  towards  Mark- 
fleet,  an  axe  fell  out  from  under  his  belt,  and  he  meant  to 
have  slain  thee  then  and  there." 

"  It  was  his  woodman's  axe,"  says  Hauskuld,  "  and  I  saw 
how  he  put  it  under  his  belt ;  and  now,  Mord,  I  will  just  tell 
thee  this  right  out,  that  thou  canst  never  say  so  much  ill  of 
Njal's  sons  as  to  make  me  believe  it ;  but  though  there  were 
aught  in  it,  and  it  were  true  as  thou  sayest,  that  either  I  must 
slay  them  or  they  me,  then  would  I  far  rather  suffer  death  at 
their  hands  than  work  them  any  harm.  But  as  for  thee,  thou 
art  all  the  worse  a  man  for  having  spoken  this." 

After  that  Mord  fares  home.  A  little  after  Mord  goes  to 
see  Njal's  sons,  and  he  talks  much  with  those  brothers  and  Kari. 

"  I  have  been  told,"  says  Mord,  "  that  Hauskuld  has  said 
that  thou,  Skarphedinn,  hast  broken  the  atonement  made  with 
Lyting ;  but  I  was  made  aware  also  that  he  thought  that 
thou  hadst  meant  some  treachery  against  him  when  ye  two 
fared  to  Markfleet.  But  still,  methinks  that  was  no  less 
treachery  when  he  bade  you  to  a  feast  at  his  house,  and 


TMiC  SiOKY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


stowed  you  away  in  an  outhouse  that  was  farthest  from  the 
house,  and  wood  was  then  heaped  round  the  outhouse  all 
night,  and  he  meant  to  burn  you  all  inside  ;  but  it  so  happened 
that  Hogni  Gunnar's  son  came  that  night,  and  naught  came 
of  their  onslaught,  for  they  were  afraid  of  him.  After  that 
he  followed  you  on  your  way  and  great  band  of  men  with  him, 
then  he  meant  to  make  another  onslaught  on  you,  and  set 
Grani  Gunnar's  son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  to  kill  thee  ;  but 
their  hearts  failed  them,  and  they  dared  not  to  fall  on  thee." 

But  when  he  had  spoken  thus,  first  of  all  they  spoke 
against  it,  but  the  end  of  it  was  that  they  believed  him,  and 
from  that  day  forth  a  coldness  sprung  up  on  their  part  towards 
Hauskuld,  and  they  scarcely  ever  spoke  to  him  when  they 
met ;  but  Hauskuld  showed  them  little  deference,  and  so 
things  went  on  for  a  while. 

Next  harvest  Hauskuld  fared  east  to  Swinefell  to  a  feast, 
and  Flosi  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome.  Hildigunna  was  there 
too.    Then  Flosi  spoke  to  Hauskuld  and  said — 

"  Hildigunna  tells  me  that  there  is  great  coldness  with  you 
and  Njal's  sons,  and  methinks  that  is  ill,  and  I  will  beg  thee 
not  to  ride  west,  but  I  will  get  thee  a  homestead  in  Skaptar- 
fell,  and  I  will  send  my  brother,  Thorgeir,  to  dwell  at  Ossaby." 

"Then  some  will  say/'  says  Hauskuld,  "that  I  am  flying 
thence  for  fear's  sake,  and  that  I  will  not  have  said." 

"  Then  it  is  more  likely  that  great  trouble  will  arise,"  says 
I  iosi. 

u  111  is  that  then,"  says  Hauskuld,  "  for  I  would  rather  fall 
unatoned,  than  that  many  should  reap  ill  for  my  sake." 

Hauskuld  busked  him  to  ride  home  a  few  nights  after,  but 
Flosi  gave  him  a  scarlet  cloak,  and  it  was  embroidered  with 
needlework  down  to  the  waist. 

Hauskuld  rode  home  to  Ossaby,  and  now  all  is  quiet  for  a 
while. 

Hauskuld  was  so  much  beloved  that  few  men  were  his 
foes,  but  the  same  ill-will  went  on  between  him  and  Njal's 
sons  the  whole  winter  through. 

Njal  had  taken  as  his  foster-child,  Thord,  the  son  of  Kari. 
He  had  also  fostered  Thorhall,  the  son  of  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's 
son.  Thorhall  was  a  strong  man,  and  hardy  both  in  body 
and  mind,  he  had  learnt  so  much  law  that  he  was  the  third 
greatest  lawyer  in  Iceland. 

Next  spring  was  an  early  spring,  and  men  are  busy  sowing 
their  corn. 


THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD.  203 


CHAPTER  CIX. 

OF  MORD  AND  NJAL'S  SONS. 

It  happened  one  day  that  Mord  came  to  Bergthorsknoll.  He 
and  Kari  and  Njal's  sons  fell  a-talking  at  once,  and  Mord 
slanders  Hauskuld  after  his  wont,  and  has  now  many  new 
tales  to  tell,  and  does  naught  but  egg  Skarphedinn  and  them 
on  to  slay  Hauskuld,  and  said  he  would  be  beforehand  with 
them  if  they  did  not  fall  on  him  at  once. 

"I  will  let  thee  have  thy  way  in  this,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"if  thou  wilt  fare  with  us,  and  have  some  hand  in  it." 

"That  I  am  ready  to  do,"  says  Mord,  and  so  they  bound 
that  fast  with  promises,  and  he  was  to  come  there  that  evening. 

Bergthora  asked  Njal — 

"  What  are  they  talking  about  out  of  doors  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  in  their  counsels,"  says  Njal,  "  but  I  was  seldom 
left  out  of  them  when  their  plans  were  good." 

Skarphedinn  did  not  lie  down  to  rest  that  evening,  nor  his 
brothers,  nor  Kari. 

That  same  night,  when  it  was  well-nigh  spent,  came  Mord 
Valgard's  son,  and  Njal's  sons  and  Kari  took  their  weapons 
and  rode  away.  They  fared  till  they  came  to  Ossaby,  and 
bided  there  by  a  fence.  The  weather  was  good,  and  the  sun 
just  risen. 


CHAPTER  CX. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD,  THE  PRIEST  OF  WHITENESS. 

About  that  time  Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness,  awoke  ; 
he  put  on  his  clothes,  and  threw  over  him  his  cloak,  Flosi's 
gift.  He  took  his  corn-sieve,  and  had  his  sword  in  his  other 
hand,  and  walks  towards  the  fence,  and  sows  the  corn  as  he 
goes. 

Skarphedinn  and  his  band  had  agreed  that  they  would  all 
give  him  a  wound.  Skarphedinn  sprang  up  from  behind  the 
fence,  but  when  Hauskuld  saw  him  he  wanted  to  turn  away, 
then  Skarphedinn  ran  up  to  him  and  said — 


204    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Don't  try  to  turn  on  thy  heel,  Whiteness  priest/'  and 
hews  at  him,  and  the  blow  came  on  his  head,  and  he  fell  on 
his  knees.    Hauskuld  said  these  words  when  he  fell — 

"  God  help  me,  and  forgive  you  !  " 

Then  they  all  ran  up  to  him  and  gave  him  wounds. 

After  that  Mord  said — 

"  A  plan  comes  into  my  mind." 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  says  Skarphedinn. 

"  That  I  shall  fare  home  as  soon  as  I  can,  but  after  that  I 
will  fare  up  to  Gritwater,  and  tell  them  the  tidings,  and  say  'tis 
an  ill  deed  ;  but  I  know  surely  that  Thorgerda  will  ask  me  to 
give  notice  of  the  slaying,  and  I  will  do  that,  for  that  will  be 
the  surest  way  to  spoil  their  suit.  I  will  also  send  a  man  to 
Ossaby,  and  know  how  soon  they  take  any  counsel  in  the 
matter,  and  that  man  will  learn  all  these  tidings  thence,  and 
I  will  make  believe  that  I  have  heard  them  from  him." 

"  Do  so  by  all  means,"  says  Skarphedinn. 

Those  brothers  fared  home,  and  Kari  with  them,  and  when 
they  came  home  they  told  Njal  the  tidings. 

"Sorrowful  tidings  are  these,"  says  Njal,  "and  such  are 
ill  to  hear,  for  sooth  to  say  this  grief  touches  me  so  nearly, 
that  methinks  it  were  better  to  have  lost  two  of  my  sons  and 
that  Hauskuld  lived." 

w  It  is  some  excuse  for  thee,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "  that  thou 
art  an  old  man,  and  it  is  to  be  looked  for  that  this  touches 
thee  nearly." 

"But  this,"  says  Njal,  "no  less  than  old  age,  is  why  I 
grieve,  that  I  know  better  than  thou  what  will  come  after." 

"What  will  come  after?"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"My  death,"  says  Njal,  "and  the  death  of  my  wife  and  of 
all  my  sons." 

"  What  dost  thou  foretell  for  me  ?  "  says  Kari. 

"  They  will  have  hard  work  to  go  against  thy  good  fortune, 
for  thou  wilt  be  more  than  a  match  for  all  of  them." 

This  one  thing  touched  Njal  so  nearly  that  he  could  never 
speak  of  it  without  shedding  tears. 


OF  HILDIGrUNNA,  ETC.  205 


CHAPTER  CXI. 

OF  HILDIGUNNA  AND  MORD  VALGARD'S  SON. 

Hildigunna  woke  up  and  found  that  Hauskuld  was  away  out 
of  his  bed. 

"  Hard  have  been  my  dreams,"  she  said,  "  and  not  good  ; 
but  go  and  search  for  him,  Hauskuld." 

So  they  searched  for  him  about  the  homestead  and  found 
him  not. 

By  that  time  she  had  dressed  herself ;  then  she  goes  and 
two  men  with  her,  to  the  fence,  and  there  they  find  Hauskuld 
slain. 

Just  then,  too,  came  up  Mord  Valgard's  son's  shepherd,  and 
told  her  that  Njal's  sons  had  gone  down  thence,  "and,"  he 
said,  "Skarphedinn  called  out  to  me  and  gave  notice  of  the 
slaying  as  done  by  him  ". 

"It  were  a  manly  deed,"  she  says,  "if  one  man  had  been 
at  it." 

She  took  the  cloak  and  wiped  off  all  the  blood  with  it,  and 
wrapped  the  gouts  of  gore  up  in  it,  and  so  folded  it  together 
and  laid  it  up  in  her  chest. 

Now  she  sent  a  man  up  to  Gritwater  to  tell  the  tidings 
thither,  but  Mord  was  there  before  him,  and  had  already  told 
the  tidings.    There,  too,  was  come  Kettle  of  the  Mark. 

Thorgerda  said  to  Kettle — 

"Now  is  Hauskuld  dead  as  we  know,  and  now  bear  in 
mind  what  thou  promisedst  to  do  when  thou  tookest  him  for 
thy  foster-child." 

"It  may  well  be,"  says  Kettle,  "that  I  promised  very 
many  things  then,  for  I  thought  not  that  these  days  would 
ever  befall  us  that  have  now  come  to  pass ;  but  yet  I  am  come 
into  a  strait,  for  '  nose  is  next  of  kin  to  eyes/  since  I  have 
Njal's  daughter  to  wife." 

"Art  thou  willing,  then,"  says  Thorgerda,  "that  Mord 
should  give  notice  of  the  suit  for  the  slaying  ? " 

"  I  know  not  that,"  says  Kettle,  "  for  methinks  ill  comes 
from  him  more  often  than  good." 

But  as  soon  as  ever  Mord  began  to  speak  to  Kettle  he 
fared  the  same  as  others,  in  that  he  thought  as  though  Mord 
would  be  true  to  him,  and  so  the  end  of  their  council  was  that 


206    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Mord  should  give  notice  of  the  slaying,  and  get  ready  the  suit 
in  every  way  before  the  Thing. 

Then  Mord  fared  down  to  Ossaby,  and  thither  came  nine 
neighbours  who  dwelt  nearest  the  spot. 

Mord  had  ten  men  with  him.  He  shows  the  neighbours 
Hauskuld's  wounds,  and  takes  witness  to  the  hurts,  and  names 
a  man  as  the  dealer  of  every  wound  save  one  ;  that  he  made  as 
though  he  knew  not  who  had  dealt  it,  but  that  wound  he  had 
dealt  himself.  But  the  slaying  he  gave  notice  of  at  Skarp- 
hedinn's  hand,  and  the  wounds  at  his  brothers'  and  Kari's. 

After  that  he  called  on  nine  neighbours  who  dwelt  nearest 
the  spot  to  ride  away  from  home  to  the  Althing  on  the  inquest. 

After  that  he  rode  home.  He  scarce  ever  met  Njal's  sons, 
and  when  he  did  meet  them,  he  was  cross,  and  that  was  part 
of  their  plan. 

The  slaying  of  Hauskuld  was  heard  over  all  the  land,  and 
was  ill-spoken  of.  Njal's  sons  went  to  see  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's 
son,  and  asked  him  for  aid. 

"  Ye  very  well  know  that  ye  may  look  that  I  shall  help 
you  in  all  great  suits,  but  still  my  heart  is  heavy  about  this 
suit,  for  there  are  many  who  have  the  blood  feud,  and  this 
slaying  is  ill-spoken  of  over  all  the  land." 

Now  Njal's  sons  fare  home. 


CHAPTER  CXII. 

THE  PEDIGREE  OF  GUDMUND  THE  POWERFUL. 

There  was  a  man  named  Gudmund  the  powerful,  who  dwelt 
at  Modruvale  in  Eyjafirth.  He  was  the  son  of  Eyjolf  the  son 
of  Einar.  Gudmund  was  a  mighty  chief,  wealthy  in  goods  ; 
he  had  in  his  house  a  hundred  hired  servants.  He  overbore 
in  rank  and  weight  all  the  chiefs  in  the  north  country,  so  that 
some  left  their  homesteads,  but  some  he  put  to  death,  and 
some  gave  up  their  priesthoods  for  his  sake,  and  from  him  are 
come  the  greatest  part  of  all  the  picked  and  famous  families 
in  the  land,  such  as  "  the  Point-dwellers  "  and  the  "  Sturlungs  " 
and  the  "  Hvamdwellers,"  and  the  "Fleetmen,"  and  Kettle 
the  bishop,  and  many  of  the  greatest  men. 

Gudmund  was  a  friend  of  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  so 
he  hoped  to  get  his  help. 


OF  FLOSI  THORD'S  SON. 


207 


CHAPTER  CXIII. 

OF  SNORRI  THE  PRIEST,  AND  HIS  STOCK. 

There  was  a  man  named  Snorri,  who  was  surnamed  the  Priest. 
He  dwelt  at  Helgafell  before  Gudruna  Oswif  s  daughter  bought 
the  land  of  him,  and  dwelt  there  till  she  died  of  old  age  ;  but 
Snorri  then  went  and  dwelt  at  Hvamsfirth  on  Saelingdale's 
tongue.  Thorgrim  was  the  name  of  Snorrfs  father,  and  he 
was  a  son  of  Thorstein  codcatcher.  Snorri  was  a  great  friend 
of  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  he  looked  for  help  there  also. 
Snorri  was  the  wisest  and  shrewdest  of  all  these  men  in  Ice- 
land who  had  not  the  gift  of  foresight.  He  was  good  to  his 
friends,  but  grim  to  his  foes. 

At  that  time  there  was  a  great  riding  to  the  Thing  out  of 
all  the  Quarters,  and  men  had  many  suits  set  on  foot. 


CHAPTER  CXIV. 

OF  FLOSI  THORD'S  SON. 

Flosi  hears  of  Hauskuld's  slaying,  and  that  brings  him  much 
grief  and  wrath,  but  still  he  kept  his  feelings  well  in  hand. 
He  was  told  how  the  suit  had  been  set  on  foot,  as  has  been 
said,  for  Hauskuld's  slaying,  and  he  said  little  about  it.  He 
sent  word  to  Hall  of  the  Side,  his  father-in-law,  and  to  Ljot 
his  son,  that  they  must  gather  in  a  great  company  at  the 
Thing.  Ljot  was  thought  the  most  hopeful  man  for  a  chief 
away  there"  east.  It  had  been  foretold  that  if  he  could  ride 
three  summers  running  to  the  Thing,  and  come  safe  and 
sound  home,  that  then  he  would  be  the  greatest  chief  in  all  his 
family,  and  the  oldest  man.  He  had  then  ridden  one  summer 
to  the  Thing,  and  now  he  meant  to  ride  the  second  time. 

Flosi  sent  word  to  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  and  Glum  the  son 
of  Hilldir  the  old,  the  son  of  Gerleif,  the  son  of  Aunund 
wallet-back,  and  to  Modolf  Kettle's  son,  and  they  all  rode  to 
meet  Flosi. 

Hall  gave  his  word,  too,  to  gather  a  great  company,  and 
Flosi  rode  till  he  came  to  Kirkby,  to  Surt  Asbjorn's  son.  Then 


208    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Flosi  sent  after  Kolbein  Egil's  son,  his  brother's  son,  and  he 
came  to  him  there.  Thence  he  rode  to  Headbrink.  There 
dwelt  Thorgrim  the  showy,  the  son  of  Thorkel  the  fair.  Flosi 
begged  him  to  ride  to  the  Althing  with  him,  and  he  said  yea 
to  the  journey,  and  spoke  thus  to  Flosi — 

"  Often  hast  thou  been  more  glad,  master,  than  thou  art 
now,  but  thou  hast  some  right  to  be  so." 

a  Of  a  truth,"  said  Flosi,  "  that  hath  now  come  on  my 
hands,  which  I  would  give  all  my  goods  that  it  had  never 
happened.  Ill  seed  has  been  sown,  and  so  an  ill  crop  will 
spring  from  it." 

Thence  he  rode  over  Arnstacksheath,  and  so  to  Solheim 
that  evening.  There  dwelt  Lodmund  Wolf's  son,  but  he  was 
a  great  friend  of  Flosi,  and  there  he  stayed  that  night,  and  next 
morning  Lodmund  rode  with  him  into  the  Dale. 

There  dwelt  Runolf,  the  son  of  Wolf  Aurpriest. 

Flosi  said  to  Runolf — 

"  Here  we  shall  have  true  stories  as  to  the  slaying  of 
Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness.  Thou  art  a  truthful  man, 
and  hast  got  at  the  truth  by  asking,  and  I  will  trust  to  all  that 
thou  tellest  me  as  to  what  was  the  cause  of  quarrel  between 
them." 

"  There  is  no  good  in  mincing  the  matter,"  said  Runolf, 
"  but  we  must  say  outright  that  he  has  been  slain  for  less  than 
no  cause  ;  and  his  death  is  a  great  grief  to  all  men.  No  one 
thinks  it  so  much  a  loss  as  Njal,  his  foster-father." 

"Then  they  will  be  ill  off  for  help  from  men,"  says  Flosi  ; 
"and  they  will  find  no  one  to  speak  up  for  them." 

"So  it  will  be,"  says  Runolf,  "unless  it  be  otherwise 
foredoomed." 

"  What  has  been  done  in  the  suit  ?  "  says  Flosi. 

"Now  the  neighbours  have  been  summoned  on  the  in- 
quest," says  Runolf,  "and  due  notice  given  of  the  suit  for 
manslaughter." 

"  Who  took  that  step  ? "  asks  Flosi. 

"  Mord  Valgard's  son,"  says  Runolf. 

"  How  far  is  that  to  be  trusted  ? "  says  Flosi. 

"He  is  of  my  kin,"  says  Runolf ;  "but  still,  if  I  tell  the 
truth  of  him,  I  must  say  that  more  men  reap  ill  than  good 
from  him.  But  this  one  thing  I  will  ask  of  thee,  Flosi,  that 
thou  givest  rest  to  thy  wrath,  and  takest  the  matter  up  in 
such  a  way  as  may  lead  to  the  least  trouble.  For  Njal  will 
make  a  good  offer,  and  so  will  others  of  the  best  men." 


OF  FLOSI  AND  HILDIGUNNA.  209 


"  Ride  thou  then  to  the  Thing,  Runolf,"  said  Flosi,  "and 
thy  words  shall  have  much  weight  with  me,  unless  things  turn 
out  worse  than  they  should." 

After  that  they  cease  speaking  about  it,  and  Runolf 
promised  to  go  to  the  Thing. 

Runolf  sent  word  to  Hair  the  wise,  his  kinsman,  and  he 
rode  thither  at  once. 

Thence  Flosi  rode  to  Ossaby. 


Hildigunna  was  out  of  doors,  and  said,  u  Now  shall  all  the 
men  of  my  household  be  out  of  doors  when  Flosi  rides  into 
the  yard ;  but  the  women  shall  sweep  the  house  and  deck  it 
with  hangings,  and  make  ready  the  high-seat  for  Flosi/' 

Then  Flosi  rode  into  the  town,  and  Hildigunna  turned  to 
him  and  said — 

"Come  in  safe  and  sound  and  happy  kinsman,  and  my 
heart  is  fain  at  tlry  coming  hither." 

"  Here,"  says  Flosi,  "  we  will  break  our  fast,  and  then  we 
will  ride  on." 

Then  their  horses  were  tethered,  and  Flosi  went  into  the 
sitting-room  and  sat  him  down,  and  spurned  the  high-seat 
away  from  him  on  the  dais,  and  said — 

"  I  am  neither  king  nor  earl,  and  there  is  no  need  to  make 
a  high-seat  for  me  to  sit  on,  nor  is  there  any  need  to  make  a 
mock  of  me." 

Hildigunna  was  standing  close  by,  and  said — 

"  It  is  ill  if  it  mislikes  thee,  for  this  we  did  with  a  whole 
heart." 

"If  thy  heart  is  whole  towards  me,  then  what  I  do  will 
praise  itself  if  it  be  well  done,  but  it  will  blame  itself  if  it  be 
ill  done." 

Hildigunna  laughed  a  cold  laugh,  and  said — 
"There  is  nothing  new  in  that,  we  will  go  nearer  yet  ere 
we  have  done." 

She  sat  her  down  by  Flosi,  and  they  talked  long  and  low. 
After  that  the  board  was  laid,  and  Flosi  and  his  band 


CHAPTER  CXV. 


OF  FLOSI  AND  HILDIGUNNA. 


14 


210    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


washed  their  hands.  Flosi  looked  hard  at  the  towel  and  saw 
that  it  was  all  in  rags,  and  had  one  end  torn  off.  He  threw 
it  down  on  the  bench  and  would  not  wipe  himself  with  it,  but 
tore  off  a  piece  of  the  table-cloth,  and  wiped  himself  with  that, 
and  then  threw  it  to  his  men. 

After  that  Flosi  sat  down  to  the  board  and  bade  men  eat. 

Then  Hildigunna  came  into  the  room  and  went  before 
Flosi,  and  threw  her  hair  off  her  eyes  and  wept. 

"  Heavy-hearted  art  thou  now,  kinswoman/'  said  Flosi, 
"when  thou  weepest,  but  still  it  is  well  that  thou  shouldst 
weep  for  a  good  husband/' 

"  What  vengeance  or  help  shall  I  have  of  thee  ?  "  she  says. 

"I  will  follow  up  thy  suit,"  said  Flosi,  "to  the  utmost 
limit  of  the  law,  or  strive  for  that  atonement  which  good 
men  and  true  shall  say  that  we  ought  to  have  as  full  amends." 

"  Hauskuld  would  avenge  thee,"  she  said,  "  if  he  had  the 
blood-feud  after  thee." 

"Thou  lackest  not  grimness,"  answered  Flosi,  "and  what 
thou  wantest  is  plain." 

"  Arnor  Ornolf  s  son,  of  Forswaterwood,''  said  Hildigunna, 
"  had  done  less  wrong  towards  Thord  Frey's  priest  thy  father ; 
and  yet  thy  brothers  Kolbein  and  Egil  slew  him  at  Skaptar- 
fells-Thing." 

Then  Hildigunna  went  back  into  the  hall  and  unlocked 
her  chest,  and  then  she  took  out  the  cloak,  Flosi's  gift,  and  in 
it  Hauskuld  had  been  slain,  and  there  she  had  kept  it,  blood 
and  all.  Then  she  went  back  into  the  sitting  room  with  the 
cloak ;  she  went  up  silently  to  Flosi.  Flosi  had  just  then 
eaten  his  full,  and  the  board  was  cleared.  Hildigunna  threw 
the  cloak  over  Flosi,  and  the  gore  rattled  down  all  over  him. 

Then  she  spoke  and  said — 

"This  cloak,  Flosi,  thou  gavest  to  Hauskuld,  and  now  I 
will  give  it  back  to  thee ;  he  was  slain  in  it,  and  I  call  God 
and  all  good  men  to  witness,  that  I  adjure  thee,  by  all  the  might 
of  thy  Christ,  and  by  thy  manhood  and  bravery,  to  take  venge- 
ance for  all  those  wounds  which  he  had  on  his  dead  body,  or 
else  to  be  called  every  man's  dastard." 

Flosi  threw  the  cloak  off  him  and  hurled  it  into  her  lap, 
and  said — 

"  Thou  art  the  greatest  hell-hag,  and  thou  wishest  that  we 
should  take  that  course  which  will  be  the  worst  for  all  of  us. 
But  'women's  counsel  is  ever  cruel'." 

Flosi  was  so  stirred  at  this,  that  sometimes  he  was  blood- 


OF  FLOSI  AND  MORD.  211 


red  in  the  face,  and  sometimes  ashy  pale  as  withered  grass,  and 
sometimes  blue  as  death. 

Flosi  and  his  men  rode  away  ;  he  rode  to  Holtford,  and 
there  waits  for  the  sons  of  Sigfus  and  other  of  his  men. 

Ingialld  dwelt  at  the  Springs  ;  he  was  the  brother  of 
Rodny,  Hauskuld  Njal's  son's  mother.  Ingialld  had  to  wife 
Thraslauga,  the  daughter  of  Egil,  the  son  of  Thord  Frey's 
priest.  Flosi  sent  word  to  Ingialld  to  come  to  him,  and 
Ingialld  went  at  once,  with  fourteen  men.  They  were  all  of 
his  household.  Ingialld  was  a  tall  man  and  a  strong,  and  slow 
to  meddle  with  other  men's  business,  one  of  the  bravest  of 
men,  and  very  bountiful  to  his  friends. 

Flosi  greeted  him  well,  and  said  to  him,  "  Great  trouble 
hath  now  come  on  me  and  my  brothers-in-law,  and  it  is  hard 
to  see  our  way  out  of  it ;  I  beseech  thee  not  to  part  from  my 
suit  until  this  trouble  is  past  and  gone." 

u  I  am  come  into  a  strait  myself/'  said  Ingialld,  "  for  the 
sake  of  the  ties  that  there  are  between  me  and  Njal  and  his 
sons,  and  other  great  matters  which  stand  in  the  way." 

"I  thought,"  said  Flosi,  "when  I  gave  away  my  brother's 
daughter  to  thee,  that  thou  gavest  me  thy  word  to  stand  by 
me  in  every  suit." 

"It  is  most  likely,"  says  Ingialld,  "that  I  shall  do  so,  but 
still  I  will  now,  first  of  all,  ride  home,  and  thence  to  the 
Thing." 


CHAPTER  CXVL 

OF  FLOSI  AND  MORD  AND  THE  SONS  OF  SIGFUS. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  heard  how  Flosi  was  at  Holtford,  and  they 
rode  thither  to  meet  him,  and  there  were  Kettle  of  the  Mark, 
and  Lambi  his  brother,  Thorkell  and  Mord,  the  sons  of  Sigfus, 
Sigmund  their  brother,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son,  and  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  and  Vebrand  Hamond's 
son. 

Flosi  stood  up  to  meet  them,  and  greeted  them  gladly. 
So  they  went  down  to  the  river.  Flosi  had  the  whole  story 
from  them  about  the  slaying,  and  there  was  no  difference 
between  them  and  Kettle  of  the  Mark's  story. 

Flosi  spoke  to  Kettle  of  the  Mark,  and  said — 


212    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  This  now  I  ask  of  thee  ;  how  tightly  are  your  hearts  knit 
as  to  this  suit,  thou  and  the  other  sons  of  Sigfus  ?  " 

"  My  wish  is,"  said  Kettle,  "  that  there  should  be  peace 
between  us,  but  yet  I  have  sworn  an  oath  not  to  part  from 
this  suit  till  it  has  been  brought  somehow  to  an  end,  and  to 
lay  my  life  on  it." 

"Thou  art  a  good  man  and  true/'  said  Flosi,  "and  it  is 
well  to  have  such  men  with  one/' 

Then  Grani  Gunnar's  son  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son  both 
spoke  together,  and  said — 

"  We  wish  for  outlawry  and  death." 

"  It  is  not  given  us,"  said  Flosi,  "  both  to  share  and  choose, 
we  must  take  what  we  can  get." 

"  I  have  had  it  in  my  heart,"  says  Grani,  "  ever  since  they 
slew  Thrain  by  Markfleet,  and  after  that  his  son  Hauskuld, 
never  to  be  atoned  with  them  by  a  lasting  peace,  for  I  would 
willingly  stand  by  when  they  were  all  slain,  every  man  of 
them." 

"Thou  hast  stood  so  near  to  them,"  said  Flosi,  "that  thou 
mightest  have  avenged  these  things  hadst  thou  had  the  heart 
and  manhood.  Methinks  thou  and  many  others  now  ask  for 
what  ye  would  give  much  money  •hereafter  never  to  have  had 
a  share  in.  I  see  this  clearly,  that  though  we  slay  Njal  or  his 
sons,  still  they  are  men  of  so  great  worth,  and  of  such  good 
family,  that  there  will  be  such  a  blood  feud  and  hue  and  cry 
aiter  them,  that  we  shall  have  to  fall  on  our  knees  before 
many  a  man,  and  beg  for  help,  ere  we  get  an  atonement  and 
find  our  way  out  of  this  strait.  Ye  may  make  up  your 
minds,  then,  that  many  will  become  poor  who  before  had 
great  goods,  but  some  of  you  will  lose  both  goods  and  life." 

Mord  Valgard's  son  rode  to  meet  Flosi,  and  said  he  would 
ride  to  the  Thing  with  him  with  all  his  men.  Flosi  took  that 
well,  and  raised  a  matter  of  a  wedding  with  him,  that  he 
should  give  away  Rannveiga  his  daughter  to  Starkad  Flosi' s 
brother's  son,  who  dwelt  at  Staffell.  Flosi  did  this  because 
he  thought  he  would  so  make  sure  both  of  his  faithfulness 
and  force. 

Mord  took  the  wedding  kindly,  but  handed  the  matter  over 
to  Gizur  the  white,  and  bade  him  talk  about  it  at  the  Thing. 

Mord  had  to  wife  Thorkatla,  Gizur  the  white's  daughter. 

They  two,  Mord  and  Flosi,  rode  both  together  to  the 
Thing,  and  talked  the  whole  day,  and  no  man  knew  aught  of 
their  counsel. 


NJAL  AND  SKARPHEDINN.  213 


CHAPTER  CXVII. 

NJAL  AND  SKARPHEDINN  TALK  TOGETHER. 

Now,  we  must  say  how  Njal  said  to  Skarphedinn — 

"What  plan  have  ye  laid  down  for  yourselves,  thou  and 
thy  brothers  and  Kari  ?  " 

"  Little  reck  we  of  dreams  in  most  matters/'  said  Skarp- 
hedinn ;  "  but  if  thou  must  know,  we  shall  ride  to  Tongue  to 
Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  thence  to  the  Thing  ;  but  what 
meanest  thou  to  do  about  thine  own  journey,  father  ?" 

"  I  shall  ride  to  the  Thing,"  says  Njal,  "  for  it  belongs  to 
my  honour  not  to  be  severed  from  your  suit  so  long  as  I  live. 
I  ween  that  many  men  will  have  good  words  to  say  of  me, 
and  so  I  shall  stand  you  in  good  stead,  and  do  you  no  harm." 

There,  too,  was  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son,  and  Njal's  foster- 
son.  The  sons  of  Njal  laughed  at  him  because  he  was  clad 
in  a  coat  of  russet,  and  asked  how  long  he  meant  to  wear 
that  ? 

"  I  shall  have  thrown  it  off,"  he  said,  "  when  I  have  to 
follow  up  the  blood-feud  for  my  foster  father." 

u  There  will  ever  be  most  good  in  thee,"  said  Njal,  "  when 
there  is  most  need  of  it." 

So  they  all  busked  them  to  ride  away  from  home,  and  were 
nigh  thirty  men  in  all,  and  rode  till  they  came  to  Thursowater. 
Then  came  after  them  Njal's  kinsmen,  Thorleif  crow,  and 
Thorgrim  the  big ;  they  were  Holt-Thorir's  sons,  and  offered 
their  help  and  following  to  Njal's  sons,  and  they  took  that 
gladly. 

So  they  rode  altogether  across  Thursowater,  until  they 
came  on  Laxwater  bank,  and  took  a  rest  and  baited  their 
horses  there,  and  there  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  came  to  meet 
them,  and  Njal's  sons  fell  to  talking  with  him,  and  they  talked 
long  and  low. 

"Now,  I  will  show,"  said  Hjallti,  "that  I  am  not  black- 
hearted ;  Njal  has  asked  me  for  help,  and  I  have  agreed  to  it, 
and  given  my  word  to  aid  him  ;  he  has  often  given  me  and 
many  others  the  worth  of  it  in  cunning  counsel." 

Hjallti  tells  Njal  all  about  Flosi's  doings.  They  sent 
Thorhall  on  to  Tongue  to  tell  Asgrim  that  they  would  be  there 
that  evening ;  and  Asgrim  made  ready  at  once,  and  was  out  of 
doors  to  meet  them  when  Njal  rode  into  the  town," 


\ 


214    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Njal  was  clad  in  a  blue  cape,  and  had  a  felt  hat  on  his 
head,  and  a  small  axe  in  his  hand.  Asgrim  helped  Njal  off 
his  horse,  and  led  him  and  sate  him  down  in  his  own  seat. 
After  that  they  all  went  in,  Njal's  sons  and  Kari.  Then 
Asgrim  went  out. 

Hjallti  wished  to  turn  away,  and  thought  there  were  too 
many  there ;  but  Asgrim  caught  hold  of  his  reins,  and  said 
he  should  never  have  his  way  in  riding  off,  and  made  men 
unsaddle  their  horses,  and  led  Hjallti  in  and  sate  him  down 
by  Njal's  side  ;  but  Thorleif  and  his  brother  sat  on  the  other 
bench  and  their  men  with  them. 

Asgrim  sate  him  down  on  a  stool  before  Njal,  and  asked — 

"  What  says  thy  heart  about  our  matter  ?  " 

"It  speaks  rather  heavily,"  says  Njal,  "for  I  am  afraid 
that  we  shall  have  no  lucky  men  with  us  in  the  suit ;  but  I 
would,  friend,  that  thou  shouldest  send  after  all  the  men  who 
belong  to  thy  Thing,  and  ride  to  the  Althing  with  me/' 

"I  have  always  meant  to  do  that/'  says  Asgrim;  "and 
this  I  will  promise  thee  at  the  same  time — that  I  will  never 
leave  thy  cause  while  I  can  get  any  men  to  follow  me." 

But  all  those  who  were  in  the  house  thanked  him,  and  said, 
that  was  bravely  spoken.  They  were  there  that  night,  but  the 
day  after  all  Asgrim' s  band  came  thither. 

And  after  that  they  all  rode  together  till  they  come  up  on 
the  Thing-field,  and  fit  up  their  booths. 


CHAPTER  CXVIII. 

ASGRIM  AND  NJAL'S  SONS  PRAY  MEN  FOR  HELP. 

By  that  time  Flosi  had  come  to  the  Thing,  and  filled  all  his 
booths.  Runolf  filled  the  Dale-dwellers'  booths,  and  Mord 
the  booths  of  the  men  from  Rangriver.  Hall  of  the  Side  had 
long  since  come  from  the  east,  but  scarce  any  of  the  other 
men ;  but  still  Hall  of  the  Side  had  come  with  a  great  band, 
and  joined  this  at  once  to  Flosi' s  company,  and  begged  him  to 
take  an  atonement  and  to  make  peace. 

Hall  was  a  wise  man  and  good-hearted.  Flosi  answered 
him  well  in  everything,  but  gave  way  in  nothing. 

Hall  asked  \Tha.t  men  had  promised  him  help?  Flosi 


ASGRIM  AND  NJAL'S  SONS,  ETC.  215 


named  Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  said  he  had  asked  for  his 
daughter  at  the  hand  of  his  kinsman  Starkad. 

Hall  said  she  was  a  good  match,  but  it  was  ill  dealing  with 
Mord,  "and  that  thou  wilt  put  to  the  proof  ere  this  Thing  be 
over 

After  that  they  ceased  talking. 

One  day  Njal  and  Asgrim  had  a  long  talk  in  secret. 
Then  all  at  once  Asgrim  sprang  up  and  said  to  Njal's 
sons — 

"We  must  set  about  seeking  friends,  that  we  may  not 
be  overborne  by  force ;  for  this  suit  will  be  followed  up 
boldly." 

Then  Asgrim  went  out,  and  Helgi  Njal's  son  next ;  then 
Kari  Solmund's  son ;  then  Grim  Njal's  son ;  then  Skarp- 
hedinn  ;  then  Thorhall ;  then  Thorgrim  the  big ;  then  Thorleif 
crow. 

They  went  to  the  booth  of  Gizur  the  white  and  inside  it. 
Gizur  stood  up  to  meet  them,  and  bade  them  sit  down  and 
drink. 

"Not  thitherward/'  says  Asgrim,  "tends  our  way,  and  we 
will  speak  our  errand  out  loud,  and  not  mutter  and  mouth 
about  it.  What  help  shall  I  have  from  thee,  as  thou  art  my 
kinsman  ?  " 

"  Jorunn  my  sister,"  said  Gizur,  "would  wish  that  I  should 
not  shrink  from  standing  by  thee  ;  and  so  it  shall  be  now  and 
hereafter,  that  we  will  both  of  us  have  the  same  fate." 

Asgrim  thanked  him,  and  went  away  afterwards. 

Then  Skarphedinn  asked,  "Whither  shall  we  go  now?" 

"  To  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Olfus,"  says  Asgrim. 

So  they  went  thither,  and  Asgrim  asked  whether  Skapti 
Thorod's  son  were  in  the  booth  ?  He  was  told  that  he  was. 
Then  they  went  inside  the  booth. 

Skapti  sate  on  the  cross  bench,  and  greeted  Asgrim,  and 
he  took  the  greeting  well. 

Skapti  offered  Asgrim  a  seat  by  his  side,  but  Asgrim  said  he 
should  only  stay  there  a  little  while,  "but  still  we  have  an 
errand  to  thee  ". 

"  Let  me  hear  it,"  says  Skapti. 

"  I  wish  to  beg  thee  for  thy  help,  that  thou  wilt  stand  by 
us  in  our  suit." 

"One  thing  I  had  hoped,"  says  Skapti,  "and  that  is,  that 
neither  you  nor  your  troubles  would  ever  come  into  my 
dwelling." 


216    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Such  things  are  ill-spoken/*  says  Asgrim,  "  when  a  man  is 
the  last  to  help  others,  when  most  lies  on  his  aid." 

"Who  is  yon  man/'  says  Skapti,  "before  whom  four  men 
walk,  a  big  burly  man,  and  pale-faced,  unlucky-looking,  well- 
knit,  and  troll-like  ?  " 

"My  name  is  Skarphedinn,"  he  answers,  "and  thou  hast 
often  seen  me  at  the  Thing ;  but  in  this  I  am  wiser  than  thou, 
that  I  have  no  need  to  ask  what  thy  name  is.  Thy  name  is 
Skapti  Thorod's  son,  but  before  thou  calledst  thyself  '  Bristle- 
poll/  after  thou  hadst  slain  Kettle  of  Elda  ;  then  thou  shavedst 
thy  poll,  and  puttedst  pitch  on  thy  head,  and  then  thou  hiredst 
thralls  to  cut  up  a  sod  of  turf,  and  thou  creptest  underneath  it 
to  spend  the  night.  After  that  thou  wentest  to  Thorolf  Lopt's 
son  of  Eyrar,  and  he  took  thee  on  board,  and  bore  thee  out 
here  in  his  meal  sacks." 

After  that  Asgrim  and  his  band  went  out,  and  Skarphedinn 
asked — 

"Whither  shall  we  go  now ? " 

"To  Snorri  the  Priest's  booth,"  says  Asgrim. 

Then  they  went  to  Snorri's  booth.  There  was  a  man  out- 
side before  the  booth,  and  Asgrim  asked  whether  Snorri  were 
in  the  booth. 

The  man  said  he  was. 

Asgrim  went  into  the  booth,  and  all  the'  others.  Snorri 
was  sitting  on  the  cross  bench,  and  Asgrim  went  and  stood 
before  him,  and  hailed  him  well. 

Snorri  took  his  greeting  blithely,  and  bade  him  sit  down. 

Asgrim  said  he  should  be  only  a  short  time  there,  "  but  we 
have  an  errand  with  thee  ". 

Snorri  bade  him  tell  it. 

"I  would,"  said  Asgrim,  "that  thou  wouldst  come  with 
me  to  the  court,  and  stand  by  me  with  thy  help,  for  thou  art  a 
wise  man,  and  a  great  man  of  business." 

"Suits  fall  heavy  on  us  now,"  says  Snorri  the  Priest,  "and 
now  many  men  push  forward  against  us,  and  so  we  are  slow 
to  take  up  the  troublesome  suits  of  other  men  from  other 
quarters." 

"  Thou  may  est  stand  excused,"  says  Asgrim,  "  for  thou  art 
not  in  our  debt  for  any  service." 

"  I  know,"  says  Snorri,  "that  thou  art  a  good  man  and  true, 
and  I  will  promise  thee  this,  that  I  will  not  be  against  thee, 
and  not  yield  help  to  thy  foes." 

Asgrim  thanked  him,  and  Snorri  the  Priest  asked — - 


ASGRIM  AND  NJAL'S  SONS,  ETC.  217 


"  Who  is  that  man  before  whom  four  go,  pale-faced,  and 
sharp- featured,  and  who  shows  his  front  teeth,  and  has  his  axe 
aloft  on  his  shoulder  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Hedinn,"  he  says,  "but  some  men  call  me 
Skarphedinn  by  my  full  name  ;  but  what  more  hast  thou  to 
say  to  me  ?  " 

'  *  This/'  said  Snorri  the  Priest,  4 'that  methinks  thou  art  a 
well-knit,  ready-handed  man,  but  yet  I  guess  that  the  best 
part  of  thy  good  fortune  is  past,  and  I  ween  thou  hast  not  long 
to  live." 

"That  is  well,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "  for  that  is  a  debt  we 
all  have  to  pay,  but  still  it  were  more  needful  to  avenge  thy 
father  than  to  foretell  my  fate  in  this  way." 

"Many  have  said  that  before,"  says  Snorri,  "and  I  will  not 
be  angry  at  such  words." 

After  that  they  went  out,  and  got  no  help  there.  Then 
they  fared  to  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Skagafirth.  There 
Hafr  the  wealthy  had  his  booth.  The  mother  of  Hafr  was 
named  Thoruna,  she  was  a  daughter  of  Asbjorn  baldpate  of 
Myrka,  the  son  of  Hrosbjorn. 

Asgrim  and  his  band  went  into  the  booth,  and  Hafr  sate 
in  the  midst  of  it,  and  was  talking  to  a  man. 

Asgrim  went  up  to  him,  and  hailed  him  well ;  he  took  it 
kindly,  and  bade  him  sit  down. 

"  This  I  would  ask  of  thee,"  said  Asgrim,  "  that  thou  wouldst 
grant  me  and  my  sons-in-law  help." 

Hafr  answered  sharp  and  quick,  and  said  he  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  their  troubles. 

"  But  still  I  must  ask  who  that  pale-faced  man  is  before 
whom  four  men  go,  so  ill-looking,  as  though  he  had  come  out 
of  the  sea-crags." 

"  Never  mind,  milksop  that  thou  art ! "  said  Skarphedinn, 
"  who  I  am,  for  I  will  dare  to  go  forward  wherever  thou  standest 
before  me,  and  little  would  I  fear  though  such  striplings  were 
in  my  path.  'Twere  rather  thy  duty,  too,  to  get  back  thy 
sister  Swanlauga,  whom  Eydis  irons  word  and  his  messmate 
Stediakoll  took  away  out  of  thy  house,  but  thou  didst  not 
dare  to  do  aught  against  them." 

"  Let  us  go  out,"  said  Asgrim,  "  there  is  no  hope  of  help 
here." 

Then  they  went  out  to  the  booths  of  men  of  Modruvale, 
and  asked  whether  Gudmund  the  powerful  were  in  the  booth, 
but  they  were  told  he  was. 


r218    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 


Then  they  went  into  the  booth.  There  was  a  high  seat  in 
the  midst  of  it,  and  there  sate  Gudmund  the  powerful. 

Asgrim  went  and  stood  before  him,  and  hailed  him. 

Gudmund  took  his  greeting  well,  and  asked  him  to  sit 
down. 

"  I  will  not  sit,"  said  Asgrim,  "  but  I  wish  to  pray  thee  for 
help,  for  thou  art  a  bold  man  and  a  mighty  chief/ ' 

"I  will  not  be  against  thee,"  said  Gudmund,  "but  if  I  see 
fit  to  yield  thee  help,  we  may  well  talk  of  that  afterwards," 
and  so  he  treated  them  well  and  kindly  in  every  way. 

Asgrim  thanked  him  for  his  words,  and  Gudmund  said — 

"  There  is  one  man  in  your  band  at  whom  I  have  gazed  for 
awhile,  and  he  seems  to  me  more  terrible  than  most  men  that 
I  have  seen." 

"Which  is  he  ?  "  says  Asgrim. 

"Four  go  before  him,"  says  Gudmund-;  "dark  brown  is 
his  hair,  and  pale  is  his  face  ;  tall  of  growth  and  sturdy.  So 
quick  and  shifty  in  his  manliness,  that  I  would  rather  have  his 
following  than  that  of  ten  other  men ;  but  yet  the  man  is 
unlucky-looking. 

"  I  know,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "  that  thou  speakest  at  me, 
but  it  does  not  go  in  the  same  way  as  to  luck  with  me  and 
thee.  I  have  blame,  indeed,  from  the  slaying  of  Hauskuld, 
the  Whiteness  priest,  as  is  fair  and  right ;  but  both  Thorkel 
foulmouth  and  Thorir  Helgi's  son  spread  abroad  bad  stories 
about  thee,  and  that  has  tried  thy  temper  very  much." 

Then  they  went  out,  and  Skarphedinn  said — 

"  Whither  shall  we  go  now  ?  " 

"To  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Lightwater,"  said  Asgrim. 

There  Thorkel  foulmouth  had  set  up  his  booth. 

Thorkel  foulmouth  had  been  abroad  and  worked  his  way 
to  fame  in  other  lands.  He  had  slain  a  robber  east  in  Jemtland's 
wood,  and  then  he  fared  on  east  into  Sweden,  and  was  a  mess- 
mate of  Saurkvir  the  churl,  and  they  harried  eastward  ho  ;  but 
to  the  east  of  Baltic  side.1  Thorkel  had  to  fetch  water  for 
them  one  evening ;  then  he  met  a  wild  man  of  the  woods,2 
and  struggled  against  him  long  ;  but  the  end  of  it  was  that  he 
slew  the  wild  man.  Thence  he  fared  east  into  Adalsyssla, 
and  there  he  slew  a  flying  fire-drake.     After  that  he  fared 

l"  Baltic  side."  This  probably  means  a  part  of  the  Finnish  coast  in  the 
Gulf  of  Bothnia. 

2  "Wild  man  of  the  woods."  In  the  original  Finngalkn,  a  fabulous 
monster,  half  man  and  half  beast. 


SKARPHEDINN  AND  THORKEL.  219 


back  to  Sweden,  and  thence  to  Norway,  and  so  out  to  Iceland, 
and  let  these  deeds  of  derring  do  be  carved  over  his  shut  bed, 
and  on  the  stool  before  his  high-seat.  He  fought,  too,  on 
Lightwater  way  with  his  brothers  against  Gudmund  the  power- 
ful, and  the  men  of  Lightwater  won  the  day.  He  and  Thorir 
Helgi's  son  spread  abroad  bad  stories  about  Gudmund.  Thorkel 
said  there  was  no  man  in  Iceland  with  whom  he  would  not 
fight  in  single  combat,  or  yield  an  inch  to,  if  need  were.  He 
was  called  Thorkel  foulmouth,  because  he  spared  no  one  with 
whom  he  had  to  do  either  in  word  or  deed. 


CHAPTER  CXIX. 

OF  SKARPHEDINN  AND  THORKEL  FOULMOUTH. 

Asgrim  and  his  fellows  went  to  Thorkel  foulmouth  s  booth, 
and  Asgrim  said  then  to  his  companions,  "  This  booth  Thorkel 
foulmouth  owns,  a  great  champion,  and  it  were  worth  much 
to  us  to  get  his  help.  We  must  here  take  heed  in  everything, 
for  he  is  self-willed  and  bad  tempered ;  and  now  I  will  beg 
thee,  Skarphedinn,  not  to  let  thyself  be  led  into  our  talk." 

Skarphedinn  smiled  at  that.  He  was  so  clad,  he  had  on  a 
blue  kirtle  and  gray  breeks,  and  black  shoes  on  his  feet,  com- 
ing high  up  his  leg ;  he  had  a  silver  belt  about  him,  and  that 
same  axe  in  his  hand  with  which  he  slew  Thrain,  and  which  he 
called  the  "ogress  of  war,"  a  round  buckler,  and  a  silken 
band  round  his  brow,  and  his  hair  was  brushed  back  behind 
his  ears.  He  was  the  most  soldier-like  of  men,  and  by  that 
all  men  knew  him.  He  went  in  his  appointed  place,  and 
neither  before  nor  behind. 

Now  they  went  into  the  booth  and  into  its  inner  chamber. 
Thorkel  sate  in  the  middle  of  the  crossbench,  and  his  men 
away  from  him  on  all  sides.  Asgrim  hailed  him,  and  Thorkel 
took  the  greeting  well,  and  Asgrim  said  to  him — 

"  For  this  have  we  come  hither,  to  ask  help  of  thee,  and 
that  thou  wouldst  come  to  the  court  with  us." 

"What  need  can  ye  have  of  my  help,"  said  Thorkel, 
?  when  ye  have  already  gone  to  Gudmund ;  he  must  surely 
have  promised  thee  his  help  ? " 

"  We  could  not  get  his  help,"  says  Asgrim. 


220    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"Then  Gudmund  thought  the  suit  likely  to  make  him 
foes/'  said  Thorkel ;  "  and  so  no  doubt  it  will  be,  for  such 
deeds  are  the  worst  that  have  ever  been  done  ;  nor  do  I  know 
what  can  have  driven  you  to  come  hither  to  me,  and  to  think 
that  I  should  be  easier  to  undertake  your  suit  than  Gudmund, 
or  that  I  would  back  a  wrongful  quarrel/' 

Then  Asgrim  held  his  peace,  and  thought  it  would  be  hard 
work  to  win  him  over. 

Then  Thorkel  went  on  and  said,  "Who  is  that  big  and 
ugly  fellow,  before  whom  four  men  go,  pale-faced  and  sharp- 
featured,  and  unlucky-looking,  and  cross-grained  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Skarphedinn,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "  and  thou 
hast  no  right  to  pick  me  out,  a  guiltless  man,  for  thy  railing. 
It  never  has  befallen  me  to  make  my  father  bow  down  before 
me,  or  to  have  fought  against  him,  as  thou  didst  with  thy 
father.  Thou  hast  ridden  little  to  the  Althing,  or  toiled  in 
quarrels  at  it,  and  no  doubt  it  is  handier  for  thee  to  mind  thy 
milking  pails  at  home  than  to  be  here  at  Axewater  in  idleness. 
But  stay,  it  were  as  well  if  thou  pickedst  out  from  thy  teeth 
that  steak  of  mare's  rump  which  thou  atest  ere  thou  rodest  to 
the  Thing,  while  thy  shepherd  looked  on  all  the  while,  and 
wondered  that  thou  couldst  work  such  filthiness ! " 

Then  Thorkel  sprang  up  in  mickle  wrath,  and  clutched  his 
short  sword  and  said — 

"This  sword  I  got  in  Sweden  when  I  slew  the  greatest 
champion,  but  since  then  I  have  slain  many  a  man  with  it,  and 
as  soon  as  ever  I  reach  thee  I  will  drive  it  through  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  take  that  for  thy  bitter  words." 

Skarphedinn  stood  with  his  axe  aloft,  and  smiled  scornfully 
and  said — 

"  This  axe  I  had  in  my  hand  when  I  leapt  twelve  ells  across 
Markfleet,  and  slew  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  and  eight  of  them 
stood  before  me,  and  none  of  them  could  touch  me.  Never 
have  I  aimed  weapon  at  man  that  I  have  not  smitten  him." 

And  with  that  he  tore  himself  from  his  brothers,  and  Kari 
his  brother-in-law,  and  strode  forward  to  Thorkel. 

Then  Skarphedinn  said — 

u  Now,  Thorkel  foulmouth,  do  one  of  these  two  things  : 
sheathe  thy  sword  and  sit  thee  down,  or  I  drive  the  axe  into 
thy  head  and  cleave  thee  down  to  the  chine." 

Then  Thorkel  sate  him  down  and  sheathed  the  sword,  and 
such  a  thing  never  happened  to  him  either  before  or  since. 

Then  Asgrim  and  his  band  go  out,  and  Skarphedinn  said — 


OF  THE  PLEADING  OF  THE  SUIT.  221 


"Whither  shall  we  now  go  ?  " 

u  Home  to  our  booths/'  answered  Asgrim. 

"Then  we  fare  back  to  our  booths  wearied  of  begging/' 
says  Skarphedinn. 

"  In  many  places/'  said  Asgrim,  "  hast  thou  been  rather 
sharp-tongued,  but  here  now,  in  what  Thorkel  had  a  share 
methinks  thou  hast  only  treated  him  as  is  fitting." 

Then  they  went  home  to  their  booths,  and  told  Njal,  word 
for  word,  all  that  had  been  done. 

"Things,"  he  said,  "  draw  on  to  what  must  be." 

Now  Gudmund  the  powerful  heard  what  had  passed  be- 
tween Thorkel  and  Skarphedinn,  and  said — 

"Ye  all  know  how  things  fared  between  us  and  the  men 
of  Lightwater,  but  I  have  never  suffered  such  scorn  and  mock- 
ing at  their  hands  as  has  befallen  Thorkel  from  Skarphedinn, 
and  this  is  just  as  it  should  be." 

Then  he  said  to  Einar  of  Thvera,  his  brother,  "  Thou  shalt 
go  with  all  my  band,  and  stand  by  Njal's  sons  when  the  courts 
go  out  to  try  suits  ;  but  if  they  need  help  next  summer,  then 
I  myself  will  yield  them  help  ". 

Einar  agreed  to  that,  and  sent  and  told  Asgrim,  and 
Asgrim  said — 

"There  is  no  man  like  Gudmund  for  nobleness  of  mind," 
and  then  he  told  it  to  Njal. 


CHAPTER  CXX. 

OF  THE  PLEADING  OF  THE  SUIT. 

The  next  day  Asgrim,  and  Gizur  the  white,  and  Hjallti 
Skeggi's  son,  and  Einar  of  Thvera,  met  together.    There  too 
was  Mord  Valgard's  son  ;  he  had  then  let  the  suit  fall  from 
his  hand,  and  given  it  over  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus. 
Then  Asgrim  spoke. 

"  Thee  first  I  speak  to  about  this  matter,  Gizur  the  white, 
and  thee  Hjallti,  and  thee  Einar,  that  I  may  tell  you  how  the 
suit  stands.  It  will  be  known  to  all  of  you  that  Mord  took 
up  the  suit,  but  the  truth  of  the  matter  is,  that  Mord  was  at 
Hauskuld's  slaying,  and  wounded  him  with  that  wound,  for 
giving  which  no  man  was  named.    It  seems  to  me,  then, 


222    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


that  this  suit  must  come  to  nought  by  reason  of  a  lawful 
flaw." 

"  Then  we  will  plead  it  at  once/'  says  Hjallti. 
"It  is  not  good  counsel/'  said  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son, 
"that  this  should  not  be  hidden  until  the  courts  are  set." 
"  How  so  ?  "  asks  Hjallti. 

"If"  said  Thorhall,  "they  knew  now  at  once  that  the  suit 
has  been  wrongly  set  on  foot,  then  they  may  still  save  the  suit 
by  sending  a  man  home  from  the  Thing,  and  summoning  the 
neighbours  from  home  over  again,  and  calling  on  them  to 
ride  to  the  Thing,  and  then  the  suit  will  be  lawfully  set  on 
foot." 

"  Thou  art  a  wise  man,  Thorhall,"  say  they,  "  and  we  will 
take  thy  counsel." 

After  that  each  man  went  to  his  booth. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  gave  notice  of  their  suits  at  the  Hill 
of  Laws,  and  asked  in  what  Quarter  Courts  they  lay,  and  in 
what  house  in  the  district  the  defendants  dwelt.  But  on  the 
Friday  night  the  courts  were  to  go  out  to  try  suits,  and  so  the 
Thing  was  quiet  up  to  that  day. 

Many  sought  to  bring  about  an  atonement  between  them, 
but  Flosi  was  steadfast ;  but  others  were  still  more  wordy,  and 
things  looked  ill. 

Now  the  time  comes  when  the  courts  were  to  go  out,  on 
the  Friday  evening.  Then  the  whole  body  of  men  at  the 
Thing  went  to  the  courts.  Flosi  stood  south  at  the  court  of 
the  men  of  Rangriver,  and  his  band  with  him.  There  with 
him  was  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  Runolf  of  the  Dale,  Wolf 
Aurpriest's  son,  and  those  other  men  who  had  promised  Flosi 
help. 

But  north  of  the  court  of  the  men  of  Rangriver  stood 
Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  Gizur  the  white,  Hjallti  Skeggi's 
son,  and  Einar  of  Thvera.  But  Njal's  sons  were  at  home  at 
their  booth,  and  Kari  and  Thorleif  crow,  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir, 
and  Thorgrim  the  big.  They  sate  all  with  their  weapons,  and 
their  band  looked  safe  from  onslaught. 

Njal  had  already  prayed  the  judges  to  go  into  the  court, 
and  now  the  sons  of  Sigfus  plead  their  suit.  They  took  witness 
and  bade  NjaFs  sons  to  listen  to  their  oath ;  after  that  they 
took  their  oath,  and  then  they  declared  their  suit ;  then  they 
brought  forward  witness  of  the  notice,  then  they  bade  the 
neighbours  on  the  inquest  to  take  their  seats,  then  they  called 
on  Njal's  sons  to  challenge  the  inquest. 


THE  AWARD  OF  ATONEMENT.  223 


Then  up  stood  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son,  and  took  witness, 
and  forbade  the  inquest  by  a  protest  to  utter  their  finding  ; 
and  his  ground  was,  that  he  who  had  given  notice  of  the  suit 
was  truly  under  the  ban  of  the  law,  and  was  himself  an 
outlaw. 

"Of  whom  speakest  thou  this?"  says  Flosi. 

"  Mord  Valgard's  son,"  said  Thorhall,  "  fared  to  Hauskuld's 
slaying  with  Njal's  sons,  and  wounded  him  with  that  wound 
for  which  no  man  was  named  when  witness  was  taken  to  the 
death-wounds  ;  and  ye  can  say  nothing  against  this,  and  so  the 
suit  comes  to  naught." 


CHAPTER  CXXI. 
OF  THE  AWARD  OF  ATONEMENT  BETWEEN  FLOSI  AND  NJAL. 

Then  Njal  stood  up  and  said — 

"This  I  pray,  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  Flosi,  and  all  the  sons 
of  Sigfus,  and  all  our  men  too,  that  ye  will  not  go  away,  but 
listen  to  my  words." 

They  did  so,  and  then  he  spoke  thus — 

"  It  seems  to  me  as  though  this  suit  were  come  to  naught, 
and  it  is  likely  it  should,  for  it  hath  sprung  from  an  ill  root. 
I  will  let  you  all  know  that  I  loved  Hauskuld  more  than  my 
own  sons,  and  when  I  heard  that  he  was  slain,  methought  the 
sweetest  light  of  my  eyes  was  quenched,  and  I  would  rather 
have  lost  all  my  sons,  and  that  he  were  alive.  Now  I  ask  thee, 
Hall  of  the  Side,  and  thee  Runolf  of  the  Dale,  and  thee 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  thee  Einar  of  Thvera,  and  thee 
Hafr  the  wise,  that  I  may  be  allowed  to  make  an  atonement 
for  the  slaying  of  Hauskuld  on  my  sons'  behalf ;  and  I  wish 
that  those  men  who  are  best  fitted  to  do  so  shall  utter  the 
award." 

Gizur,  and  Hafr,  and  Einar,  spoke  each  on  their  own  part, 
and  prayed  Flosi  to  take  an  atonement,  and  promised  him 
their  friendship  in  return. 

Flosi  answered  them  well  in  all  things,  but  still  did  not 
give  his  word. 

Then  Hall  of  the  Side  said  to  Flosi — 

"  Wilt  thou  now  keep  thy  word,  and  grant  me  my  boon 


224    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


which  thou  hast  already  promised  me,  when  I  put  beyond  sea 
Thorgrim,  the  son  of  Kettle  the  fat,  thy  kinsman,  when  he  had 
slain  Halli  the  red." 

"  I  will  grant  it  thee,  father-in-law,''  said  Flosi,  w  for  that 
alone  wilt  thou  ask  which  will  make  my  honour  greater  than 
it  ere  while  was." 

"Then/'  said  Hall,  "my  wish  is  that  thou  shouldst  be 
quickly  atoned,  and  lettest  good  men  and  true  make  an  award, 
and  so  buy  the  friendship  of  good  and  worthy  men." 

"  I  will  let  you  all  know,"  said  Flosi,  "  that  I  will  do 
according  to  the  word  of  Hall,  my  father-in-law,  and  other  of 
the  worthiest  men,  that  he  and  others  of  the  best  men  on  each 
side,  lawfully  named,  shall  make  this  award.  Methinks  Njal 
is  worthy  that  I  should  grant  him  this." 

Njal  thanked  him  and  all  of  them,  and  others  who  were 
by  thanked  them  too,  and  said  that  Flosi  had  behaved 
well. 

Then  Flosi  said — 

"  Now  will  I  name  my  daysmen  [arbitrators] — First,  I 
name  Hall,  my  father-in-law  ;  Auzur  from  Broadwater  ;  Surt 
Asbjorn's  son  of  Kirkby ;  Modolf  Kettle's  son" — he  dwelt 
then  at  Asar — "  Hafr  the  wise  ;  and  Runolf  of  the  Dale  ;  and 
it  is  scarce  worth  while  to  say  that  these  are  the  fittest  men 
out  of  all  my  company." 

Now  he  bade  Njal  to  name  his  daysmen,  and  then  Njal 
stood  up,  and  said — 

u  First  of  these  I  name,  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son ;  and 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son ;  Gizur  the  white ;  Einar  of  Thvera ; 
Snorri  the  priest ;  and  Gudmund  the  powerful." 

After  that  Njal  and  Flosi,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus  shook 
hands,  and  Njal  pledged  his  hand  on  behalf  of  all  his  sons,  and 
of  Kari,  his  son-in-law,  that  they  would  hold  to  what  those 
twelve  men  doomed ;  and  one  might  say  that  the  whole  body 
of  men  at  the  Thing  was  glad  at  that. 

Then  men  ; were  sent  after  Snorri  and  Gudmund,  for  they 
were  in  their  booths. 

Then  it  was  given  out  that  the  judges  in  this  award  would 
sit  in  the  Court  of  Laws,  but  all  the  others  were  to  go 
away. 


OF  THE  JUDGES. 


225 


CHAPTER  CXXII. 

OF  THE  JUDGES. 

Then  Snorri  the  priest  spoke  thus — u  Now  are  we  here  twelve 
judges  to  whom  these  suits  are  handed  over,  now  I  will  beg 
you  all  that  we  may  have  no  stumbling-blocks  in  these  suits,  so 
that  they  may  not  be  atoned  ". 

"Will  ye,"  said  Gudmund,  "award  either  the  lesser  or  the 
greater  outlawry  ?  Shall  they  be  banished  from  the  district,  or 
from  the  whole  land  ?  " 

"  Neither  of  them,"  says  Snorri,  "  for  those  banishments  are 
often  ill  fulfilled,  and  men  have  been  slain  for  that  sake,  and 
atonements  broken,  but  I  will  award  so  great  a  money  fine  that 
no  man  shall  have  had  a  higher  price  here  in  the  land  than 
Hauskuld." 

They  all  spoke  well  of  his  words. 

Then  they  talked  over  the  matter,  and  could  not  agree 
which  should  first  utter  how  great  he  thought  the  fine  ought 
to  be,  and  so  the  end  of  it  was  that  they  cast  lots,  and  the  lot 
fell  on  Snorri  to  utter  it. 

Then  Snorri  said,  "  I  will  not  sit  long  over  this,  I  will  now 
tell  you  what  my  utterance  is,  I  will  let  Hauskuld  be  atoned 
for  with  triple  manfines,  but  that  is  six  hundred  in  silver. 
Now  ye  shall  change  it,  if  ye  think  it  too  much  or  too  little." 

They  said  that  they  would  change  it  in  nothing. 

"This  too  shall  be  added,"  he  said,  "that  all  the  money 
shall  be  paid  down  here  at  the  Thing." 

Then  Gizur  the  white  spoke  and  said — 

"  Methinks  that  can  hardly  be,  for  they  will  not  have 
enough  money  to  pay  their  fines." 

"  I  know  what  Snorri  wishes,"  said  Gudmund  the  powerful, 
"  he  wants  that  all  we  daysmen  should  give  such  a  sum  as  our 
bounty  will  bestow,  and  then  many  will  do  as  we  do." 

Hall  of  the  Side  thanked  him,  and  said  he  would  willingly 
give  as  much  as  any  one  else  gave,  and  then  all  the  other  days- 
men agreed  to  that. 

After  that  they  went  away,  and  settled  between  them  that 
Hall  should  utter  the  award  at  the  Court  of  Laws. 

So  the  bell  was  rung,  and  all  men  went  to  the  Court  of 
Laws,  and  Hall  of  the  Side  stood  up  and  spoke — 

"  In  this  suit,  in  which  we  have  come  to  an  award,  we  have 
15 


226    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


been  all  well  agreed,  and  we  have  awarded  six  hundred  in 
silver,  and  half  this  sum  we  the  daysmen  will  pay,  but  it  must 
all  be  paid  up  here  at  the  Thing.  But  it  is  my  prayer  to  all 
the  people  that  each  man  will  give  something  for  God's  sake." 

All  answered  well  to  that,  and  then  Hall  took  witness  to 
the  award,  that  no  one  should  be  able  to  break  it. 

Njal  thanked  them  for  their  award,  but  Skarphedinn  stood 
by,  and  held  his  peace,  and  smiled  scornfully. 

Then  men  went  from  the  Court  of  Laws  and  to  their  booths, 
but  the  daysmen  gathered  together  in  the  freeman's  church- 
yard the  money  which  they  had  promised  to  give. 

NjaJ's  sons  handed  over  that  money  which  they  had  by 
them,  and  Kari  did  the  same,  and  that  came  to  a  hundred  in 
silver. 

Njal  took  out  that  money  which  he  had  with  him,  and  that 
was  another  hundred  in  silver. 

So  this  money  was  all  brought  before  the  Court  of  Laws, 
and  then  men  gave  so  much,  that  not  a  penny  was  wanting. 

Then  Njal  took  a  silken  scarf  and  a  pair  of  boots  and  laid 
them  on  the  top  of  the  heap. 

After  that,  Hall  said  to  Njal,  that  he  should  go  to  fetch 
his  sons,  "  but  I  will  go  for  Flosi,  and  now  each  must  give  the 
other  pledges  of  peace 

Then  Njal  went  home  to  his  booth,  and  spoke  to  his  sons 
and  said  ' '  Now,  are  our  suits  come  into  a  fair  way  of  settle- 
ment, now  are  we  men  atoned,  for  all  the  money  has  been 
brought  together  in  one  place  ;  and  now  either  side  is  to  go 
and  grant  the  other  peace  and  pledges  of  good  faith.  I  will 
therefore  ask  you  this,  my  sons,  not  to  spoil  these  things  in 
any  way." 

Skarphedinn  stroked  his  brow,  and  smiled  scornfully.  So 
they  all  go  to  the  Court  of  Laws. 

Hall  went  to  meet  Flosi  and  said — 

"Go  thou  now  to  the  Court  of  Laws,  for  now  all  the 
money  has  been  bravely  paid  down,  and  it  has  been  brought 
together  in  one  place." 

Then  Flosi  bade  the  sons  of  Sigfus  to  go  up  with  him,  and 
they  all  went  out  of  their  booths.  They  came  from  the  east, 
but  Njal  went  from  the  west  to  the  Court  of  Laws,  and  his 
sons  with  him. 

Skarphedinn  went  to  the  middle  bench  and  stood  there. 

Flosi  went  into  the  Court  of  Laws  to  look  closely  at  the 
money,  and  said — 


OF  THE  JUDGES. 


227 


u  This  money  is  both  great  and  good,  and  well  paid  down, 
as  was  to  be  looked  for." 

After  that  he  took  up  the  scarf,  and  waved  it,  and  asked — 
"  Who  may  have  given  this  ?  " 
But  no  man  answered  him. 

A  second  time  he  waved  the  scarf,  and  asked — 
u  Who  may  have  given  this  ? "  and  laughed,  but  no  man 
answered  him. 

Then  Flosi  said — 

"  How  is  it  that  none  of  you  knows  who  has  owned  this 
gear,  or  is  it  that  none  dares  to  tell  me  ?  " 

"  Who  ?  "  said  Skarphedinn,  "  dost  thou  think,  has  given 
it  ?  " 

"If  thou  must  know,"  said  Flosi,  "  then  I  will  tell  thee  ; 
I  think  that  thy  father  the  6  Beardless  Carle '  must  have  given 
it,  for  many  know  not  who  look  at  him  whether  he  is  more  a 
man  than  a  woman." 

u  Such  words  are  ill-spoken,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "  to  make 
game  of  him,  an  old  man,  and  no  man  of  any  worth  has  ever 
done  so  before.  Ye  may  know,  too,  that  he  is  a  man,  for  he 
has  had  sons  by  his  wife,  and  few  of  our  kinsfolk  have  fallen 
unatoned  by  our  house,  so  that  we  have  not  had  vengeance  for 
them." 

Then  Skarphedinn  took  to  himself  the  silken  scarf,  but 
threw  a  pair  of  blue  breeks  to  Flosi,  and  said  he  would  need 
them  more. 

"  Why,"  said  Flosi,  "should  I  need  these  more  ?" 

"  Because,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "  thou  art  the  sweetheart  of 
the  Swinefell's  goblin,  if,  as  men  say,  he  does  indeed  turn  thee 
into  a  woman  every  ninth  night." 

Then  Flosi  spurned  the  money,  and  said  he  would  not 
touch  a  penny  of  it,  and  then  he  said  he  would  only  have  one 
of  two  things  :  either  that  Hauskuld  should  fall  unatoned,  or 
they  would  have  vengeance  for  him. 

Then  Flosi  would  neither  give  nor  take  peace,  and  he  said 
to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — 

"Go  we  now  home  ;  one  fate  shall  befall  us  all." 

Then  they  went  home  to  their  booth,  and  Hall  said — 

"  Here  most  unlucky  men  have  a  share  in  this  suit." 

Njal  and  his  sons  went  home  to  their  booth,  and  Njal 
said — 

"  Now  comes  to  pass  what  my  heart  told  me  long  ago,  that 
this  suit  would  fall  heavy  on  us." 


228    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  Not  so,"  says  Skarphedinn ;  "  they  can  never  pursue  us 
by  the  laws  of  the  land." 

"Then  that  will  happen,"  says  Njal,  "which  will  be  worse 
for  all  of  us." 

Those  men  who  had  given  the  money  spoke  about  it,  and 
said  that  they  should  take  it  back ;  but  Gudmund  the  power- 
ful said — 

"  That  shame  I  will  never  choose  for  myself,  to  take  back 
what  I  have  given  away,  either  here  or  elsewhere." 

"  That  is  well  spoken,"  they  said ;  and  then  no  one  would 
take  it  back. 

Then  Snorri  the  priest  said,  "  My  counsel  is,  that  Gizur  the 
white  and  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  keep  the  money  till  the  next 
Althing  ;  my  heart  tells  me  that  no  long  time  will  pass  ere 
there  may  be  need  to  touch  this  money  ". 

Hjallti  took  half  the  money  and  kept  it  safe,  but  Gizur 
took  the  rest. 

Then  men  went  home  to  their  booths. 


CHAPTER  CXXIII. 

AN  ATTACK  PLANNED  ON  NJAL  AND  HIS  SONS. 

Flosi  summoned  all  his  men  up  to  the  "  Great  Rift,"  and  went 
thither  himself. 

So  when  all  his  men  were  come,  there  were  one  hundred 
and  twenty  of  them. 

Then  Flosi  spake  thus  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — 

"  In  what  way  shall  I  stand  by  you  in  this  quarrel,  which 
will  be  most  to  your  minds  ?  " 

"Nothing  will  please  us,"  said  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  "until 
those  brothers,  NjaFs  sons,  are  all  slain." 

"This,"  said  Flosi,  "will  I  promise  to  you,  ye  sons  of 
Sigfus,  not  to  part  from  this  quarrel  before  one  of  us  bites  the 
dust  before  the  other.  I  will  also  know  whether  there  be  any 
man  here  who  will  not  stand  by  us  in  this  quarrel." 

But  they  all  said  they  would  stand  by  him. 

Then  Flosi  said — 

"  Come  now  all  to  me,  and  swear  an  oath  that  no  man  will 
shrink  from  this  quarrel." 


AN  ATTACK  PLANNED.  229 


Then  all  went  up  to  Flosi  and  swore  oaths  to  him  ;  and 
then  Flosi  said — 

"We  will  all  of  us  shake  hands  on  this,,  that  he  shall 
have  forfeited  life  and  land  who  quits  this  quarrel  ere  it  be 
over/' 

These  were  the  chiefs  who  were  with  Flosi  : — Kol  the  son 
of  Thorstein  broadpaunch,  the  brother's  son  of  Hall  of  the 
Side,  Hroald  Auzur's  son  from  Broadwater,  Auzur  son  of 
Aunund  wallet-back,  Thorstein  the  fair  the  son  of  Gerleif, 
Glum  Hilldir's  son,  Modolf  Kettle's  son,  Thorir  the  son  of  Thord 
Illugi's  son  of  Mauratongue,  Kolbein  and  Egil  Flosi's  kinsmen, 
Kettle  Sigfus'  son,  and  Mord  his  brother,  Ingialld  of  the  Springs, 
Thorkel  and  Lambi,  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 
and  Sigmund  Sigfus'  son,  and  Hroar  from  Hromundstede. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — 

"  Choose  ye  now  a  leader,  whomsoever  ye  think  best  fitted  ; 
for  some  one  man  must  needs  be  chief  over  the  quarrel." 

Then  Kettle  of  the  Mark  answered — 

"If  the  choice  is  to  be  left  with  us  brothers,  then  we  will 
soon  choose  that  this  duty  should  fall  on  thee  ;  there  are 
many  things  which  lead  to  this.  Thou  art  a  man  of  great 
birth,  and  a  mighty  chief,  stout  of  heart,  and  strong  of  body, 
and  wise  withal,  and  so  we  think  it  best  that  thou  shouldst 
see  to  all  that  is  needful  in  the  quarrel." 

u  It  is  most  fitting,"  said  Flosi,  u  that  I  should  agree  to 
undertake  this  as  your  prayer  asks  ;  and  now  I  will  lay  down 
the  course  which  we  shall  follow,  and  my  counsel  is,  that  each 
man  ride  home  from  the  Thing  and  look  after  his  household 
during  the  summer,  so  long  as  men's  haymaking  lasts.  I,  too, 
will  ride  home,  and  be  at  home  this  summer ;  but  when  that 
Lord's  day  comes  on  which  winter  is  eight  weeks  off,  then  I 
will  let  them  sing  me  a  mass  at  home,  and  afterwards  ride  west 
across  Loomnips  Sand  ;  each  of  our  men  shall  have  two  horses. 
I  will  not  swell  our  company  beyond  those  which  have  now 
taken  the  oath,  for  we  have  enough  and  to  spare  if  all  keep 
true  tryst.  I  will  ride  all  the  Lord's  day  and  the  night  as 
well,  but  at  even  on  the  second  day  of  the  week,  I  shall  ride 
up  to  Threecorner  ridge  about  mid- even.  There  shall  ye  then 
be  all  come  who  have  sworn  an  oath  in  this  matter.  But  if 
there  be  any  one  who  has  not  come,  and  who  has  joined  us  in 
this  quarrel,  then  that  man  shall  lose  nothing  save  his  life,  if 
we  may  have  our  way." 

"  How  does  that  hang  together,"  said  Kettle,  "  that  thou 


230    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


canst  ride  from  home  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  come  the  second 
day  of  the  week  to  Threecorner  ridge  ?  " 

"I  will  ride/'  said  Flosi,  "up  from  Skaptartongue,  and 
north  of  the  Eyjafell  Jokul,  and  so  down  into  Godaland,  and 
it  may  be  done  if  I  ride  fast.  And  now  I  will  tell  you  my 
whole  purpose,  that  when  we  meet  there  all  together,  we  shall 
ride  to  Bergthorsknoll  with  all  our  band,  and  fall  on  Njal's 
sons  with  fire  and  sword,  and  not  turn  away  before  they  are 
all  dead.  Ye  shall  hide  this  plan,  for  our  lives  lie  on  it.  And 
now  we  will  take  to  our  horses  and  ride  home." 

Then  they  all  went  to  their  booths. 

After  that  Flosi  made  them  saddle  his  horses,  and  they 
waited  for  no  man,  and  rode  home. 

Flosi  would  not  stay  to  meet  Hall  his  father-in-law,  for  he 
knew  of  a  surety  that  Hall  would  set  his  face  against  all  strong 
deeds. 

Njal  rode  home  from  the  Thing  and  his  sons.  They  were 
at  home  that  summer.  Njal  asked  Kari  his  son-in-law  whether 
he  thought  at  all  of  riding  east  to  Dyrholms  to  his  own  house. 

"  I  will  not  ride  east,"  answered  Kari,  "  for  one  fate  shall 
befall  me  and  thy  sons." 

Njal  thanked  him,  and  said  that  was  only  what  was  likely 
from  him.  There  were  nearly  thirty  fighting  men  in  Njal's 
house,  reckoning  the  house-carles. 

One  day  it  happened  that  Rodny  Hauskuld's  daughter, 
the  mother  of  Hauskuld  Njal's  son,  came  to  the  Springs. 
Her  brother  Ingialld  greeted  her  well,  but  she  would  not  take 
his  greeting,  but  yet  bade  him  go  out  with  her.  Ingialld  did 
so,  and  went  out  with  her  ;  and  so  they  walked  away  from  the 
farm-yard  both  together.  Then  she  clutched  hold  of  him  and 
they  both  sat  down,  and  Rodny  said — 

"Is  it  true  that  thou  hast  sworn  an  oath  to  fall  on  Njal,  and 
slay  him  and  his  sons  ?  " 

"  True  it  is,"  said  he. 

"A  very  great  dastard  art  thou,"  she  says,  "thou,  whom 
Njal  hath  thrice  saved  from  outlawry." 

"  Still  it  hath  come  to  this,"  says  Ingialld,  "  that  my  life 
lies  on  it  if  I  do  not  this." 

"  Not  so,"  says  she,  "  thou  shalt  live  all  the  same,  and  be 
called  a  better  man,  if  thou  betrayest  not  him  to  whom  thou 
oughtest  to  behave  best." 

Then  she  took  a  linen  hood  out  of  her  bag,  it  was  clotted 
with  blood  all  over,  and  torn  and  tattered,  and  said,  "This 


AN  ATTACK  PLANNED.  231 


hood,  Hauskuld  Njal's  son,  and  thy  sisters  son,  had  on  his 
head  when  they  slew  him ;  methinks,  then,  it  is  ill  owing  to 
stand  by  those  from  whom  this  mischief  sprang 

"  Well !  "  answers  Ingialld,  "  so  it  shall  be  that  I  will  not  be 
against  Njal  whatever  follows  after,  but  still  I  know  that  they 
will  turn  and  throw  trouble  on  me/' 

"Now  mightest  thou,"  said  Rodny,  "yield  Njal  and  his 
sons  great  help,  if  thou  tellest  him  all  these  plans/' 

"That  I  will  not  do,"  says  Ingialld,  "for  then  I  am  every 
man's  dastard,  if  I  tell  what  was  trusted  to  me  in  good  faith  ; 
but  it  is  a  manly  deed  to  sunder  myself  from  this  quarrel  when 
I  know  that  there  is  a  sure  looking  for  of  vengeance  ;  but  tell 
Njal  and  his  sons  to  beware  of  themselves  all  this  summer, 
for  that  will  be  good  counsel,  and  to  keep  many  men  about 
them." 

Then  she  fared  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  told  Njal  all  this 
talk ;  and  Njal  thanked  her,  and  said  she  had  done  well,  "  for 
there  would  be  more  wickedness  in  his  falling  on  me  than  of 
all  men  else  ". 

She  fared  home,  but  he  told  this  to  his  sons. 

There  was  a  carline  at  Bergthorsknoll,  whose  name  was 
Saevuna.  She  was  wise  in  many  things,  and  foresighted  ;  but 
she  was  then  very  old,  and  Njal's  sons  called  her  an  old  dotard, 
when  she  talked  so  much,  but  still  some  things  which  she 
said  came  to  pass.  It  fell  one  day  that  she  took  a  cudgel  in 
her  hand,  and  went  up  above  the  house  to  a  stack  of  vetches. 
She  beat  the  stack  of  vetches  with  her  cudgel,  and  wished  it 
might  never  thrive,  "  wretch  that  it  was  !  " 

Skarphedinn  laughed  at  her,  and  asked  why  she  was  so 
angry  with  the  vetch  stack. 

"This  stack  of  vetches,"  said  the  carline,  "will  be  taken 
and  lighted  with  fire  when  Njal  my  master  is  burnt,  house  and 
all,  and  Bergthora  my  foster-child.  Take  it  away  to  the  water, 
or  burn  it  up  as  quick  as  you  can." 

"We  will  not  do  that,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "for  something 
else  will  be  got  to  light  a  fire  with,  if  that  were  foredoomed, 
though  this  stack  were  not  here." 

The  carline  babbled  the  whole  summer  about  the  vetch- 
stack  that  it  should  be  got  indoors,  but  something  always 
hindered  it. 


232    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CXXIV. 

OF  PORTENTS. 

At  Reykium  on  Skeid  dwelt  one  Runolf  Thorstein's  son. 
His  son's  name  was  Hildiglum.  He  went  out  on  the  night 
of  the  Lord's  day,  when  nine  weeks  were  still  to  winter ;  he 
heard  a  great  crash,  so  that  he  thought  both  heaven  and  earth 
shook.  Then  he  looked  into  the  west  "airt,"  and  he  thought 
he  saw  thereabouts  a  ring  of  fiery  hue,  and  within  the  ring  a 
man  on  a  gray  horse.  He  passed  quickly  by  him,  and  rode 
hard.  He  had  a  flaming  firebrand  in  his  hand,  and  he  rode  so 
close  to  him  that  he  could  see  him  plainly.  He  was  as  black 
as  pitch,  and  he  sung  this  song  with  a  mighty  voice — 

Here  I  ride  swift  steed, 
His  flank  flecked  with  rime, 
Rain  from  his  mane  drips, 
Horse  mighty  for  harm  ; 
Flames  flare  at  each  end, 
Gall  glows  in  the  midst, 
So  fares  it  with  Flosi's  redes 
As  this  flaming  brand  flies  ; 
And  so  fares  it  with  Flosi's  redes 
As  this  flaming  brand  flies. 

Then  he  thought  he  hurled  the  firebrand  east  towards  the 
fells  before  him,  and  such  a  blaze  of  fire  leapt  up  to  meet  it 
that  he  could  not  see  the  fells  for  the  blaze.  It  seemed  as 
though  that  man  rode  east  among  the  flames  and  vanished 
there. 

After  that  he  went  to  his  bed,  and  was  senseless  a  long 
time,  but  at  last  he  came  to  himself.  He  bore  in  mind  all 
that  had  happened,  and  told  his  father,  but  he  bade  him  tell 
it  to  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son.  So  he  went  and  told  Hjallti,  but 
he  said  he  had  seen  "'the  Wolfs  ride/  and  that  comes  ever 
before  great  tidings 

CHAPTER  CXXV. 

FLOSI'S  JOURNEY  FROM  HOME. 

Flosi  busked  him  from  the  east  when  two  months  were  still 
to  winter,  and  summoned  to  him  all  his  men  who  had  promised 
him  help  and  company.    Each  of  them  had  two  horses  and 


PORTENTS  AT  BERGTHORSKNOLL.  233 


good  weapons,  and  they  all  came  to  Swinefell,  and  were  there 
that  night. 

Flosi  made  them  say  prayers  betimes  on  the  Lord's  day, 
and  afterwards  they  sate  down  to  meat.  He  spoke  to  his 
household,  and  told  them  what  work  each  was  to  do  while  he 
was  away.    After  that  he  went  to  his  horses. 

Flosi  and  his  men  rode  first  west  on  the  Sand.1  Flosi  bade 
them  not  to  ride  too  hard  at  first ;  but  said  they  would  do 
well  enough  at  that  pace,  and  he  bade  all  to  wait  for  the 
others  if  any  of  them  had  need  to  stop.  They  rode  west  to 
Woodcombe,  and  came  to  Kirkby.  Flosi  there  bade  all  men 
to  come  into  the  church,  and  pray  to  God,  and  men  did  so. 

After  that  they  mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  on  the  fell, 
and  so  to  Fishwaters,  and  rode  a  little  to  the  west  of  the 
lakes,  and  so  struck  down  west  on  to  the  Sand.2  Then  they 
left  Eyjafell  Jokul  on  their  left  hand,  and  so  came  down  into 
Godaland,  and  so  on  to  Markfleet,  and  came  about  nones  3  on 
the  second  day  of  the  week  to  Threecorner  ridge,  and  waited 
till  mid-even.  Then  all  had  came  thither  save  Ingialld  of  the 
Springs. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  spoke  much  ill  of  him,  but  Flosi  bade 
them  not  blame  Ingialld  when  he  was  not  by,  "but  we  will 
pay  him  for  this  hereafter". 


CHAPTER  CXXVI. 

OF  PORTENTS  AT  BERGTHORSKNOLL. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  turn  to  Bergthorsknoll, 
and  say  that  Grim  and  Helgi  go  to  Holar.  They  had  children 
out  at  foster  there,  and  they  told  their  mother  that  they  should 
not  come  home  that  evening.  They  were  in  Holar  all  the 
day,  and  there  came  some  poor  women  and  said  they  had 
come  from  far.  Those  brothers  asked  them  for  tidings,  and 
they  said  they  had  no  tidings  to  tell,  "  but  still  we  might  tell 
you  one  bit  of  news 

1 "  Sand,"  Skeidara  sand.  2  "  Sand,"  Mselifell's  sand. 

3  "  Nones,"  the  well-known  canonical  hour  of  the  day,  the  ninth  hour  from 
six  a.m.,  that  is,  about  three  o'clock  p.m.,  when  one  of  the  church  services  took 
place. 


234   THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


They  asked  what  that  might  be,  and  bade  them  not  hide 
it.    They  said  so  it  should  be. 

"We  came  down  out  of  Fleetlithe,  and  we  saw  all  the 
sons  of  Sigfus  riding  fully  armed — they  made  for  Threecorner 
ridge,  and  were  fifteen  in  company.  We  saw,  too,  Grani 
Gunnar's  son  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  they  were  five  in 
all.  They  took  the  same  road,  and  one  may  say  now  that  the 
whole  country-side  is  faring  and  flitting  about/ ' 

"  Then,"  said  Helgi  Njal's  son,  "  Flosi  must  have  come 
from  the  east,  and  they  must  have  all  gone  to  meet  him,  and 
we  two,  Grim,  should  be  where  Skarphedinn  is." 

Grim  said  so  it  ought  to  be,  and  they  fared  home. 

That  same  evening  Bergthora  spoke  to  her  household,  and 
said,  "  Now  shall  ye  choose  your  meat  to-night,  so  that  each 
may  have  what  he  likes  best ;  for  this  evening  is  the  last  that 
I  shall  set  meat  before  my  household  ". 

"  That  shall  not  be,"  they  said. 

"It  will  be  though,"  she  says,  " and  I  could  tell  you  much 
more  if  I  would,  but  this  shall  be  a  token,  that  Grim  and 
Helgi  will  be  home  ere  men  have  eaten  their  full  to-night ; 
and  if  this  turns  out  so,  then  the  rest  that  I  say  will  happen 
too." 

After  that  she  set  meat  on  the  board,  and  Njal  said, 
"  Wondrously  now  it  seems  to  me.  Methinks  I  see  all  round 
the  room,  and  it  seems  as  though  the  gable  wall  were  thrown 
down,  but  the  whole  board  and  the  meat  on  it  is  one  gore  of 
blood." 

All  thought  this  strange  but  Skarphedinn,  he  bade  men 
not  be  downcast,  nor  to  utter  other  unseemly  sounds,  so  that 
men  might  make  a  story  out  of  them. 

"  For  it  befits  us  surely  more  than  other  men  to  bear  us 
well,  and  it  is  only  what  is  looked  for  from  us." 

Grim  and  Helgi  came  home  ere  the  board  was  cleared,  and 
men  were  much  struck  at  that.  Njal  asked  why  they  had 
returned  so  quickly,  but  they  told  what  they  had  heard. 

Njal  bade  no  man  go  to  sleep,  but  to  beware  of  them- 
selves. 


BERGTHOBSKNOLL  ONSLAUGHT.  235 


CHAPTER  CXXVII. 

THE  ONSLAUGHT  ON  BERGTHOESKNOLL. 

Now  Flosi  speaks  to  his  men — 

u  Now  we  will  ride  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  come  thither 
before  supper- time." 

They  do  so.  There  was  a  dell  in  the  knoll,  and  they  rode 
thither,  and  tethered  their  horses  there,  and  stayed  there  till 
the  evening  was  far  spent. 

Then  Flosi  said,  "  Now  we  will  go  straight  up  to  the  house, 
and  keep  close,  and  walk  slow,  and  see  what  counsel  they  will 
take  ". 

Njal  stood  out  of  doors,  and  his  sons,  and  Kari  and  all  the 
serving-men,  and  they  stood  in  array  to  meet  them  in  the 
yard,  and  they  were  near  thirty  of  them. 

Flosi  halted  and  said — "  Now  we  shall  see  what  counsel 
they  take,  for  it  seems  to  me,  if  they  stand  out  of  doors  to 
meet  us,  as  though  we  should  never  get  the  mastery  over 
them  ". 

"Then  is  our  journey  bad,"  says  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  "if 
we  are  not  to  dare  to  fall  on  them." 

"  Nor  shall  that  be,"  says  Flosi ;  "  for  we  will  fall  on  them 
though  they  stand  out  of  doors  ;  but  we  shall  pay  that  penalty, 
that  many  will  not  go  away  to  tell  which  side  won  the  day." 

Njal  said  to  his  men,  "  See  ye  now  what  a  great  band  of 
men  they  have  ". 

u  They  have  both  a  great  and  well-knit  band,"  says  Skarp- 
hedinn  ;  "  but  this  is  why  they  make  a  halt  now,  because  they 
think  it  will  be  a  hard  struggle  to  master  us."  ' 

"That  cannot  be  why  they  halt,"  says  Njal ;  "and  my  will 
is  that  our  men  go  indoors,  for  they  had  hard  work  to  master 
Gunnar  of  Lithend,  though  he  was  alone  to  meet  them ;  but 
here  is  a  strong  house  as  there  was  there,  and  they  will  be 
slow  to  come  to  close  quarters." 

"This  is  not  to  be  settled  in  that  wise,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"  for  those  chiefs  fell  on  Gunnar's  house,  who  were  so  noble- 
minded,  that  they  would  rather  turn  back  than  burn  him, 
house  and  all ;  but  these  will  fall  on  us  at  once  with  fire,  if 
they  cannot  get  at  us  in  any  other  way,  for  they  will  leave  no 
stone  unturned  to  get  the  better  of  us  ;  and  no  doubt  they  think, 
as  is  not  unlikely,  that  it  will  be  their  deaths  if  we  escape  out 


236    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


of  their  hands.  Besides,  I  am  unwilling  to  let  myself  be 
stifled  indoors  like  a  fox  in  his  earth." 

"Now,"  said  Njal,  "as  often  it  happens,  my  sons,  ye  set 
my  counsel  at  naught,  and  show  me  no  honour,  but  when  ye 
were  younger  ye  did  not  so,  and  then  your  plans  were  better 
furthered." 

" Let  us  do,"  said  Helgi,  "as  our  father  wills  ;  that  will  be 
best  for  us." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "  for  now  he 
he  is  '  fey '  ;  but  still  I  may  well  humour  my  father  in  this,  by 
being  burnt  indoors  along  with  him,  for  I  am  not  afraid  of  my 
death." 

Then  he  said  to  Kari,  "  Let  us  stand  by  one  another  well, 
brother-in-law,  so  that  neither  parts  from  the  other". 

"That  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  do,"  says  Kari  ;  "but 
if  it  should  be  otherwise  doomed, — well !  then  it  must  be  as  it 
must  be,  and  I  shall  not  be  able  to  fight  against  it." 

"  Avenge  us,  and  we  will  avenge  thee,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"  if  we  live  after  thee." 

Kari  said  so  it  should  be. 

Then  they  all  went  in,  and  stood  in  array  at  the  door. 

"  Now  are  they  all  '  fey/  "  said  Flosi,  "  since  they  have 
gone  indoors,  and  we  will  go  right  up  to  them  as  quickly  as 
we  can,  and  throng  as  close  as  we  can  before  the  door,  and 
give  heed  that  none  of  them,  neither  Kari  nor  NjaFs  sons,  get 
away  ;  for  that  were  our  bane." 

So  Flosi  and  his  men  came  up  to  the  house,  and  set  men 
to  watch  round  the  house,  if  there  were  any  secret  doors  in  it. 
But  Flosi  went  up  to  the  front  of  the  house  with  his  men. 

Then  Hroald  Auzur's  son  ran  up  to  where  Skarphedinn 
stood,  and  thrust  at  him.  Skarphedinn  hewed  the  spearhead 
off  the  shaft  as  he  held  it,  and  made  another  stroke  at  him, 
and  the  axe  fell  on  the  top  of  the  shield,  and  dashed  back 
the  whole  shield  on  Hroald' s  body,  but  the  upper  horn  of  the 
axe  caught  him  on  the  brow,  and  he  fell  at  full  length  on  his 
back,  and  was  dead  at  once. 

"  Little  chance  had  that  one  with  thee,  Skarphedinn,"  said 
Kari,  "  and  thou  art  our  boldest." 

"I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,"  says'  Skarphedinn,  and  he  drew 
up  his  lips  and  smiled. 

Kari,  and  Grim,  and  Helgi,  threw  out  many  spears,  and 
wounded  many  men  ;  *but  Flosi  and  his  men  could  do  nothing. 

At  last  Flosi  said,  "  We  have  already  gotten  great  manscathe 


NJAL'S  BURNING.  237 


in  our  men ;  many  are  wounded,  and  he  slain  whom  we  would 
choose  last  of  all.  It  is  now  clear  that  we  shall  never  master 
them  with  weapons ;  many  now  there  be  who  are  not  so 
forward  in  fight  as  they  boasted,  and  yet  they  were  those  who 
goaded  us  on  most.  I  say  this  most  to  Grani  Gunnar's  son, 
and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  who  were  the  least  willing  to  spare 
their  foes.  But  still  we  shall  have  to  take  to  some  other  plan 
for  ourselves,  and  now  there  are  but  two  choices  left,  and 
neither  of  them  good.  One  is  to  turn  away,  and  that  is  our 
death ;  the  other,  to  set  fire  to  the  house,  and  burn  them 
inside  it ;  and  that  is  a  deed  which  we  shall  have  to  answer 
for  heavily  before  God,  since  we  are  Christian  men  ourselves  ; 
but  still  we  must  take  to  that  counsel/' 


CHAPTER  CXXVIII. 

NJAL'S  BURNING. 

Now  they  took  fire,  and  made  a  great  pile  before  the  doors. 
Then  Skarphedinn  said. 

"  What,  lads !  are  ye  lighting  a  fire,  or  are  ye  taking  to 
cooking  ?  " 

"So  it  shall  be,"  answered  Grani  Gunnar's  son ;  "and  thou 
shalt  not  need  to  be  better  done." 

"Thou  repayest  me,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "as  one  may  look 
for  from  the  man  that  thou  art.  I  avenged  thy  father,  and 
thou  settest  most  store  by  that  duty  which  is  farthest  from 
thee." 

Then  the  women  threw  whey  on  the  fire,  and  quenched  it 
as  fast  as  they  lit  it.    Some,  too,  brought  water,  or  slops. 

Then  Kol  Thorstein's  son  said  to  Flosi — 

"  A  plan  comes  into  my  mind ;  I  have  seen  a  loft  over  the 
^iall  among  the  crosstrees,  and  we  will  put  the  fire  in  there, 
and  light  it  with  the  vetch-stack  that  stands  just  above  the 
house." 

Then  they  took  the  vetch-stack  and  set  fire  to  it,  and  they 
who  were  inside  were  not  aware  of  it  till  the  whole  hall  was 
ablaze  over  their  heads. 

Then  Flosi  and  his  men  made  a  great  pile  before  each  of 
the  doors,  and  then  the  women  folk  who  were  inside  began  to 
weep  and  to  wail. 


238    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Njal  spoke  to  them  and  said,  "  Keep  up  your  hearts,  nor 
utter  shrieks,  for  this  is  but  a  passing  storm,  and  it  will  be 
long  before  ye  have  another  such  ;  and  put  your  faith  in  God, 
and  believe  that  He  is  so  merciful  that  He  will  not  let  us  burn 
both  in  this  world  and  the  next." 

Such  words  of  comfort  had  he  for  them  all,  and  others 
still  more  strong. 

Now  the  whole  house  began  to  blaze.  Then  Njal  went 
to  the  door  and  said — 

"  Is  Flosi  so  near  that  he  can  hear  my  voice  ?  " 

Flosi  said  that  he  could  hear  it. 

"  Wilt  thou,"  said  Njal,  "  take  an  atonement  from  my  sons, 
or  allow  any  men  to  go  out  ?  " 

"  I  will  not,"  answers  Flosi,  "  take  any  atonement  from 
thy  sons,  and  now  our  dealings  shall  come  to  an  end  once  for 
all,  and  I  will  not  stir  from  this  spot  till  they  are  all  dead ; 
but  I  will  allow  the  women  and  children  and  house-carles 
to  go  out  ? " 

Then  Njal  went  into  the  house,  and  said  to  the  folk — 
u  Now  all  those  must  go  out  to  whom  leave  is  given,  and 

so  go  thou  out  Thorhalla  Asgrim's  daughter,  and  all  the 

people  also  with  thee  who  may." 
Then  Thorhalla  said — 

"This  is  another  parting  between  me  and  Helgi  than 
I  thought  of  a  while  ago  ;  but  still  I  will  egg  on  my  father 
and  brothers  to  avenge  this  manscathe  which  is  wrought 
here." 

"  Go,  and  good  go  with  thee,"  said  Njal,  "  for  thou  art  a 
brave  woman." 

After  that  she  went  out  and  much  folk  with  her. 

Then  Astrid  of  Deepback  said  to  Helgi  Njal's  son — 

"Come  thou  out  with  me,  and  I  will  throw  a  woman's 
cloak  over  thee,  and  tire  thy  head  with  a  kerchief." 

He  spoke  against  it  at  first,  but  at  last  he  did  so  at  the 
prayer  of  others. 

So  Astrid  wrapped  the  kerchief  round  Helgi's  head,  but 
Thorhilda,  Skarphedinn's  wife,  threw  the  cloak  over  him, 
and  he  went  out  between  them,  and  then  Thorgerda  Njal's 
daughter,  and  Helga  her  sister,  and  many  other  folk  went 
out  too. 

But  when  Helgi  came  out  Flosi  said — 
"  That  is  a  tall  woman  and  broad  across  the  shoulders  that 
went  yonder,  take  her  and  hold  her." 


NJAL'S  BURNING.  239 


But  when  Helgi  heard  that,  he  cast  away  the  cloak.  He 
had  got  his  sword  under  his  arm,  and  hewed  at  a  man,  and 
the  blow  fell  on  his  shield  and  cut  off  the  point  of  it,  and  the 
man's  leg  as  well.  Then  Flosi  came  up  and  hewed  at  Helgi's 
neck,  and  took  off  his  head  at  a  stroke. 

Then  Flosi  went  to  the  door  and  called  out  to  Njal,  and 
said  he  would  speak  with  him  and  Bergthora. 

Now  Njal  does  so,  and  Flosi  said — 

"  I  will  offer  thee,  master  Njal,  leave  to  go  out,  for  it  is 
unworthy  that  thou  shouldst  burn  indoors/' 

"1  will  not  go  out,"  said  Njal,  "for  I  am  an  old  man,  and 
little  fitted  to  avenge  my  sons,  but  I  will  not  live  in  shame." 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Bergthora — 

"Come  thou  out,  housewife,  for  I  will  for  no  sake  burn 
thee  indoors." 

"I  was  given  away  to  Njal  young,"  said  Bergthora,  "and 
I  have  promised  him  this,  that  we  would  both  share  the  same 
fate." 

After  that  they  both  went  back  into  the  house. 

"What  counsel  shall  we  now  take  ?"  said  Bergthora. 

"We  will  go  to  our  bed,"  says  Njal,  "  and  lay  us  down ;  I 
have  long  been  eager  for  rest." 

Then  she  said  to  the  boy  Thord,  Kari's  son — 

"Thee  will  I  take  out,  and  thou  shalt  not  burn  in  here." 

"Thou  hast  promised  me  this,  grandmother,"  says  the  boy, 
"  that  we  should  never  part  so  long  as  I  wished  to  be  with 
thee  ;  but  methinks  it  is  much  better  to  die  with  thee  and 
Njal  than  to  live  after  you." 

Then  she  bore  the  boy  to  her  bed,  and  Njal  spoke  to  his 
steward  and  said — 

"  Now  shalt  thou  see  where  we  lay  us  down,  and  how  I  lay 
us  out,  for  I  mean  not  to  stir  an  inch  hence,  whether  reek 
or  burning  smart  me,  and  so  thou  wilt  be  able  to  guess  where 
to  look  for  our  bones." 

He  said  he  would  do  so. 

There  had  been  an  ox  slaughtered  and  the  hide  lay  there. 
Njal  told  the  steward  to  spread  the  hide  over  them,  and  he 
did  so. 

So  there  they  lay  down  both  of  them  in  their  bed,  and 
put  the  boy  between  them.  Then  they  signed  themselves 
and  the  boy  with  the  cross,  and  gave  over  their  souls  into 
God's  hand,  and  that  was  the  last  word  that  men  heard  them 
utter. 


240    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Then  the  steward  took  the  hide  and  spread  it  over  them, 
and  went  out  afterwards.  Kettle  of  the  Mark  caught  hold 
of  him,  and  dragged  him  out,  he  asked  carefully  after  his 
father-in-law  Njal,  but  the  steward  told  him  the  whole  truth. 
Then  Kettle  said — 

"Great  grief  hath  been  sent  on  us,  when  we  have  had 
to  share  such  ill-luck  together." 

Skarphedinn  saw  how  his  father  laid  him  down,  and  how 
he  laid  himself  out,  and  then  he  said — 

"  Our  father  goes  early  to  bed,  and  that  is  what  was  to  be 
looked  for,  for  he  is  an  old  man." 

Then  Skarphedinn,  and  Kari,  and  Grim,  caught  the  brands 
as  fast  as  they  dropped  down,  and  hurled  them  out  at  them, 
and  so  it  went  on  a  while.  Then  they  hurled  spears  in  at 
them,  but  they  caught  them  all  as  they  flew,  and  sent  them 
back  again. 

Then  Flosi  bade  them  cease  shooting,  "for  all  feats  of 
arms  will  go  hard  with  us  when  we  deal  with  them ;  ye  may 
well  wait  till  the  fire  overcomes  them  ". 

So  they  do  that,  and  shoot  no  more. 

Then  the  great  beams  out  of  the  roof  began  to  fall,  and 
Skarphedinn  said — 

"  Now  must  my  father  be  dead,  and  I  have  neither  heard 
groan  nor  cough  from  him." 

Then  they  went  to  the  end  of  the  hall,  and  there  had 
fallen  down  a  cross-beam  inside  which  was  much  burnt  in  the 
middle. 

Kari  spoke  to  Skarphedinn,  and  said — "Leap  thou  out 
here,  and  I  will  help  thee  to  do  so,  and  I  will  leap  out  after 
thee,  and  then  we  shall  both  get  away  if  we  set  about  it  so, 
for  hitherward  blows  all  the  smoke." 

"  Thou  shalt  leap  first,"  said  Skarphedinn  ;  "  but  I  will 
leap  straightway  on  thy  heels." 

"That  is  not  wise,"  says  Kari,  "for  I  can  get  out  well 
enough  elsewhere,  though  it  does  not  come  about  here." 

"  I  will  not  do  that,"  says  Skarphedinn ;  "  leap  thou  out 
first,  but  I  will  leap  after  thee  at  once." 

"It  is  bidden  to  every  man,"  says  Kari,  "to  seek  to  save 
his  life  while  he  has  a  choice,  and  I  will  do  so  now ;  but  still 
this  parting  of  ours  will  be  in  such  wise  that  we  shall  never 
see  one  another  more  ;  for  if  I  leap  out  of  the  fire,  I  shall  have 
no  mind  to  leap  back  into  the  fire  to  thee,  and  then  each  of  us 
will  have  to  fare  his  own  way." 


SKAEPHEDINX'S  DEATH.  241 


"  It  joys  me,  brother-in-law/'  says  Skarphedinn,  "  to  think 
that  if  thou  gettest  away  thou  wilt  avenge  me." 

Then  Kari  took  up  a  blazing  bench  in  his  hand,  and  runs 
up  along  the  cross-beam,  then  he  hurls  the  bench  out  at  the 
roof,  and  it  fell  among  those  who  were  outside. 

Then  they  ran  away,  and  by  that  time  all  Kari's  upper- 
clothing  and  his  hair  were  ablaze,  then  he  threw  himself  down 
from  the  roof,  and  so  crept  along  with  the  smoke. 

Then  one  man  said  who  was  nearest — 

"  Was  that  a  man  that  leapt  out  at  the  roof?  " 

"  Far  from  it,"  says  another;  "more  likely  it  was  Skarp- 
hedinn  who  hurled  a  firebrand  at  us." 

After  that  they  had  no  more  mistrust. 

Kari  ran  till  he  came  to  a  stream,  and  then  he  threw  himself 
down  into  it,  and  so  quenched  the  fire  on  him. 

After  that  he  ran  along  under  shelter  of  the  smoke  into  a 
hollow,  and  rested  him  there,  and  that  has  since  been  called 
Kari's  Hollow. 


CHAPTER  CXXIX. 

SKARPHEDIXX  S  DEATH. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Skarphedinn  that  he  runs  out  on  the 
cross-beam  straight  after  Kari,  but  when  he  came  to  where 
the  beam  was  most  burnt,  then  it  broke  down  under  him. 
Skarphedinn  came  down  on  his  feet,  and  tried  again  the  second 
time,  and  climbs  up  the  wall  with  a  run,  then  down  on  him 
came  the  wall-plate,  and  he  toppled  down  again  inside. 

Then  Skarphedinn  said — "  Now  one  can  see  what  will 
come : "  and  then  he  went  along  the  side  wall.  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son  leapt  up  on  the  wall  and  sees  Skarphedinn  ;  he 
spoke  thus — 

"  Weepest  thou  now,  Skarphedinn  ?  " 

"Not  so,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "but  true  it  is  that  the  smoke 
makes  one's  eyes  smart,  but  is  it  as  it  seems  to  me,  dost  thou 
laugh  ?  " 

"So it  is  surely,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  I  have  never  laughed 
since  thou  slewest  Thrain  on  Markfleet." 

Then  Skarphedinn   said — "  He  now  is  a  keepsake  for 
16 


242    THE  STOEY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


thee  ; "  and  with  that  he  took  out  of  his  purse  the  jaw- tooth 
which  he  had  hewn  out  of  Thrain,  and  threw  it  at  Gunnar,  and 
struck  him  in  the  eye,  so  that  it  started  out  and  lay  on  his 
cheek. 

Then  Gunnar  fell  down  from  the  roof. 

Skarphedinn  then  went  to  his  brother  Grim,  and  they  held 
one  another  by  the  hand  and  trode  the  fire ;  but  when  they 
came  to  the  middle  of  the  hall  Grim  fell  down  dead. 

Then  Skarphedinn  went  to  the  end  of  the  house,  and  then 
there  was  a  great  crash,  and  down  fell  the  roof.  Skarphedinn 
was  then  shut  in  between  it  and  the  gable,  and  so  he  could  not 
stir  a  step  thence. 

Flosi  and  his  band  stayed  by  the  fire  until  it  was  broad 
daylight ;  then  came  a  man  riding  up  to  them.  Flosi  asked 
him  for  his  name,  but  he  said  his  name  was  Geirmund,  and 
that  he  was  a  kinsman  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus. 

"Ye  have  done  a  mighty  deed,"  he  says. 

"Men"  says  Flosi,  "will  call  it  both  a  mighty  deed  and 
an  ill  deed,  but  that  can't  be  helped  now." 

"  How  many  men  have  lost  their  lives  here  ?  "  asks  Geir- 
mund. 

"  Here  have  died/'  says  Flosi,  "  Njal  and  Bergthora  and  all 
their  sons,  Thord  Kari's  son,  Kari  Solmund's  son,  but  besides 
these  we  cannot  say  for  a  surety,  because  we  know  not  their 
names." 

"Thou  tellest  him  now  dead,"  said  Geirmund,  "  with  whom 
we  have  gossipped  this  morning." 
"  Who  is  that  ?  "  says  Flosi. 

"  We  two,"  says  Geirmund,  "  I  and  my  neighbour  Bard,  met 
Kari  Solmund's  son,  and  Bard  gave  him  his  horse,  and  his  hair 
and  his  upper  clothes  were  burned  off  him." 

"  Had  he  any  weapons  ?  "  asks  Flosi. 

"He  had  the  sword  ' Life-luller,' "  says  Geirmund,  " and 
one  edge  of  it  was  blue  with  fire,  and  Bard  and  I  said  that  it 
must  have  become  soft,  but  he  answered  thus,  that  he  would 
harden  it  in  the  blood  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus  or  the  other 
Burners." 

"What  said  he  of  Skarphedinn  ?  "  said  Flosi. 

"  He  said  both  he  and  Grim  were  alive,"  answers  Geirmund, 
"when  they  parted ;  but  he  said  that  now  they  must  be  dead." 

"  Thou  hast  told  us  a  tale,"  said  Flosi,  "  which  bodes  us 
no  idle  peace,  for  that  man  hath  now  got  away  who  comes 
next  to  Gunnar  of  Lithend  in  all  things ;  and  now,  ye  sons  of 


SKARPHEDINN'S  DEATH.  243 


Sigfus,  and  ye  other  Burners,  know  this,  that  such  a  great  blood 
feud,  and  hue  and  cry  will  be  made  about  this  burning,  that  it 
will  make  many  a  man  headless,  but  some  will  lose  all  their 
goods.  Now  I  doubt  much  whether  any  man  of  you,  ye  sons 
of  Sigfus,  will  dare  to  stay  in  his  house  ;  and  that  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at ;  and  so  I  will  bid  you  all  to  come  and  stay  with 
me  in  the  east,  and  let  us  all  share  one  fate." 

They  thanked  him  for  his  offer,  and  said  they  would  be 
glad  to  take  it. 

Then  Modolf  Kettle's  son  sang  a  song. 

But  one  prop  of  Njal's  house  liveth, 
All  the  rest  inside  are  burnt, 
All  but  one, — those  bounteous  spenders, 
Sigfus'  stalwart  sons  wrought  this  ; 
Son  of  Gollnir  *  now  is  glutted 
Vengeance  for  brave  Hauskuld's  death, 
Brisk  flew  fire  through  thy  dwelling, 
Bright  flames  blazed  above  thy  roof. 

"We  shall  have  to  boast  of  something  else  than  that  Njal 
has  been  burnt  in  his  house,"  says  Flosi,  "  for  there  is  no  glory 
in  that." 

Then  he  went  up  on  the  gable,  and  Glum  Hilldir's  son,  and 
some  other  men.  Then  Glum  said,  "  Is  Skarphedinn  dead, 
indeed  ?  "  But  the  others  said  he  must  have  been  dead  long 
ago. 

The  fire  sometimes  blazed  up  fitfully  and  sometimes  burned 
low,  and  then  they  heard  down  in  the  fire  beneath  them  that 
this  song  was  sung — 

Deep,  I  ween,  ye  Ogre  offspring ! 
Devilish  brood  of  giant  birth, 
Would  ye  groan  with  gloomy  visage 
Had  the  fight  gone  to  my  mind ; 
But  my  very  soul  it  gladdens 
That  my  friends  f  who  now  boast  high, 
Wrought  not  this  foul  deed,  their  glory, 
Save  with  footsteps  filled  with  gore. 

"  Can  Skarphedinn,  think  ye,  have  sung  this  song  dead  or 
alive  ?  "  said  Grani  Gunnar's  son. 

"  I  will  go  into  no  guesses  about  that,"  says  Flosi. 

"We  will  look  for  Skarphedinn,"  says  Grani,  "and  the 
other  men  who  have  been  here  burnt  inside  the  house." 


*  "  Son  of  Gollnir,"  Njal,  who  was  the  son  of  Thorgeir  Gelling  or  Gollnir. 
f  "  My  friends,"  ironically  of  course. 


244    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"That  shall  not  be/'  says  Flosi,  "it  is  just  like  such  foolish 
men  as  thou  art,  now  that  men  will  be  gathering  force  all  over 
the  country ;  and  when  they  do  come,  I  trow  the  very  same 
man  who  now  lingers  will  be  so  scared  that  he  will  not  know 
which  way  to  run  ;  and  now  my  counsel  is  that  we  all  ride 
away  as  quickly  as  ever  we  can." 

Then  Flosi  went  hastily  to  his  horse  and  all  his  men. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Geirmund — 

"  Is  Ingialld,  thinkest  thou,  at  home,  at  the  Springs  ?  " 

Geirmund  said  he  thought  he  must  be  at  home. 

"There  now  is  a  man,"  says  Flosi,  "who  has  broken  his 
oath  with  us  and  all  good  faith." 

Then  Flosi  said  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — "  What  course  will 
ye  now  take  with  Ingialld ;  will  ye  forgive  him,  or  shall  we 
now  fall  on  him  and  slay  him  ?  " 

They  all  answered  that  they  would  rather  fall  on  him  and 
slay  him. 

Then  Flosi  jumped  on  his  horse,  and  all  the  others,  and 
they  rode  away.  Flosi  rode  first,  and  shaped  his  course  for 
Rangriver,  and  up  along  the  river  bank. 

Then  he  saw  a  man  riding  down  on  the  other  bank  of  the 
river,  and  he  knew  that  there  was  Ingialld  of  the  Springs. 
Flosi  calls  out  to  him.  Ingialld  halted  and  turned  down  to  the 
river  bank  ;  and  Flosi  said  to  him — 

"  Thou  hast  broken  faith  with  us,  and  hast  forfeited  life 
and  goods.  Here  now  are  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  who  are  eager  to 
slay  thee ;  but  methinks  thou  hast  fallen  into  a  strait,  and 
I  will  give  thee  thy  life  if  thou  will  hand  over  to  me  the  right 
to  make  my  own  award." 

"I  will  sooner  ride  to  meet  Kari,"  said  Ingialld,  "than 
grant  thee  the  right  to  utter  thine  own  award,  and  my  answer 
to  the  sons  of  Sigfus  is  this,  that  I  shall  be  no  whit  more  afraid 
of  them  than  they  are  of  me." 

"Bide  thou  there,"  says  Flosi,  "if  thou  art  not  a  coward, 
for  I  will  send  thee  a  gift." 

"  I  will  bide  of  a  surety,"  says  Ingialld. 

Thorstein  Kolbein's  son,  Flosi's  brother's  son,  rode  up 
by  his  side  and  had  a  spear  in  his  hand,  he  was  one  of  the 
bravest  of  men,  and  the  most  worthy  of  those  who  were  with 
Flosi. 

Flosi  snatched  the  spear  from  him,  and  launched  it  at 
Ingialld,  and  it  fell  on  his  left  side,  and  passed  through  the 
shield  just  below  the  handle,  and  clove  it  all  asunder,  but  the 


OF  KARI  SOLMUND'S  SON.  245 


spear  passed  on  into  his  thigh  just  above  the  knee-pan,  and  so 
on  into  the  saddle-tree,  and  there  stood  fast. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Ingialld — 

"Did  it  touch  thee?" 

"It  touched  me  sure  enough/'  says  Ingialld,  "but  I  call 
this  a  scratch  and  not  a  wound." 

Then  Ingialld  plucked  the  spear  out  of  the  wound,  and  said 
to  Flosi — 

"  Now  bide  thou,  if  thou  art  not  a  milksop/' 
Then  he  launched  the  spear  back  over  the  river.  Flosi  sees 
that  the  spear  is  coming  straight  for  his  middle,  and  then  he 
backs  his  horse  out  of  the  way,  but  the  spear  flew  in  front  of 
Flosi's  horse,  and  missed  him,  but  it  struck  Thorstein's  middle, 
and  down  he  fell  at  once  dead  olf  his  horse. 

Now  Ingialld  runs  for  the  wood,  and  ^hey  could  not  get  at 
him. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"  Now  have  we  gotten  manscathe,  and  now  we  may  know, 
when  such  things  befall  us,  into  what  a  luckless  state  we  have 
got.  Now  it  is  my  counsel  that  we  ride  up  to  Threecorner 
ridge  ;  thence  we  shall  be  able  to  see  where  men  ride  all  over 
the  country,  for  by  this  time  they  will  have  gathered  together  a 
great  band,  and  they  will  think  that  we  have  ridden  east  to 
Fleetlithe  from  Threecorner  ridge  ;  and  thence  they  will  think 
that  we  are  riding  north  up  on  the  fell,  and  so  east  to  our  own 
country,  and  thither  the  greater  part  of  the  folk  will  ride  after 
us ;  but  some  will  ride  the  coast  road  east  to  Selialandsmull, 
and  yet  they  will  think  there  is  less  hope  of  finding  us  thither- 
ward, but  I  will  now  take  counsel  for  all  of  us,  and  my  plan  is 
to  ride  up  into  Threecorner-fell,  and  bide  there  till  three  suns 
have  risen  and  set  in  heaven." 


CHAPTER  CXXX. 

OF  KARI  SOLMUND'S  SON. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Kari  Solmund's  son  that  he  fared  away 
from  that  hollow  in  which  he  had  rested  himself  until  he  met 
Bard,  and  those  words  passed  between  them  which  Geirmund 
had  told. 


246    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Thence  Kari  rode  to  Mord,  and  told  him  the  tidings,  and 
he  was  greatly  grieved. 

Kari  said  there  were  other  things  more  befitting  a  man  than 
to  weep  for  them  dead,  and  bade  him  rather  gather  folk  and 
come  to  Holtford. 

After  that  he  rode  into  Thurso-dale  to  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son, 
and  as  he  went  along  Thurso  water,  he  sees  a  man  riding  fast 
behind  him.  Kari  waited  for  the  man,  and  knows  that  he  was 
Ingialld  of  the  Springs.  He  sees  that  he  is  very  bloody  about 
the  thigh ;  and  Kari  asked  Ingialld  who  had  wounded  him, 
and  he  told  him. 

"  Where  met  ye  two  ?  "  says  Kari. 

"By  Rangwater  side,"  says  Ingialld,  "and  he  threw  a  spear 
over  at  me." 

"  Didst  thou  aught  for  it  ?  "  asks  Kari. 

"I  threw  the  spear  back,"  says  Ingialld,  "and  they  said 
that  it  met  a  man,  and  he  was  dead  at  once." 

"  Knowest  thou  not,"  said  Kari,  "who  the  man  was  ?  " 

"  Methought  he  was  like  Thorstein  Flosi's  brother's  son," 
says  Ingialld. 

"  Good  luck  go  with  thy  hand,"  says  Kari. 

After  that  they  rode  both  together  to  see  Hjallti  Skeggi's 
son,  and  told  him  the  tidings.  He  took  these  deeds  ill,  and 
said  there  was  the  greatest  need  to  ride  after  them  and  slay 
them  all. 

After  that  he  gathered  men  and  roused  the  whole  country ; 
now  he  and  Kari  and  Ingialld  ride  with  this  band  to  meet 
Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  they  found  him  at  Holtford,  and 
Mord  was  there  waiting  for  them  with  a  very  great  company. 
Then  they  parted  the  hue  and  cry ;  some  fared  the  straight 
road  by  the  east  coast  to  Selialandsmull,  but  some  went  up  to 
Fleetlithe,  and  other-some  the  higher  road  thence  to  Three- 
corner  ridge,  and  so  down  into  Godaland.  Thence  they  rode 
north  to  Sand.  Some  too  rode  as  far  as  Fishwaters,  and  there 
turned  back.  Some  the  coast  road  east  to  Holt,  and  told 
Thorgeir  the  tidings,  and  asked  whether  they  had  not  ridden 
by  there. 

"This  is  how  it  is,"  said  Thorgeir,  "though  I  am  not  a 
mighty  chief,  yet  Flosi  would  take  other  counsel  than  to  ride 
under  my  eyes,  when  he  has  slain  Njal,  my  father's  brother, 
and  my  cousins  ;  and  there  is  nothing  left  for  any  of  you  but 
e'en  to  turn  back  again,  for  ye  should  have  hunted  longer 
nearer  home  ;  but  tell  this  to  Kari,  that  he  must  ride  hither  to 


OF  KARI  SOLMUND'S  SON.  247 

me  and  be  here  with  me  if  he  will ;  but  though  he  will  not 
come  hither  east,  still  I  will  look  after  his  farm  at  Dyrholms  if 
he  will,  but  tell  him  too  that  I  will  stand  by  him  and  ride  with 
him  to  the  Althing.  And  he  shall  also  know  this,  that  we 
brothers  are  the  next  of  kin  to  follow  up  the  feud,  and  we 
mean  so  to  take  up  the  suit,  that  outlawry  shall  follow  and 
after  that  revenge,  man  for  man,  if  we  can  bring  it  about; 
but  I  do  not  go  with  you  now,  because  I  know  naught  will 
come  of  it,  and  they  will  now  be  as  wary  as  they  can  of  them- 
selves/ ' 

Now  they  ride  back,  and  all  met  at  Hof  and  talked  there 
among  themselves,  and  said  that  they  had  gotten  disgrace 
since  they  had  not  found  them.  Mord  said  that  was  not 
so.  Then  many  men  were  eager  that  they  should  fare  to 
Fleetlithe,  and  pull  down  the  homesteads  of  all  those  who 
had  been  at  those  deeds,  but  still  they  listened  for  Mord's 
utterance. 

"  That,"  he  said,  "  would  be  the  greatest  folly."  They 
asked  why  he  said  that. 

"Because,"  he  said,  "if  their  houses  stand,  they  will  be 
sure  to  visit  them  to  see  their  wives ;  and  then,  as  time  rolls 
on,  we  may  hunt  them  down  there  ;  and  now  ye  shall  none  of 
you  doubt  that  I  will  be  true  to  thee  Kari,  and  to  all  of  you, 
and  in  all  counsel,  for  I  have  to  answer  for  myself." 

Hjallti  bade  him  do  as  he  said.  Then  Hjallti  bade  Kari 
to  come  and  stay  with  him  ;  he  said  he  would  ride  thither  first. 
They  told  him  what  Thorgeir  had  offered  him,  and  he  said  he 
would  make  use  of  that  offer  afterwards,  but  said  his  heart  told 
him  it  would  be  well  if  there  were  many  such. 

After  that  the  whole  band  broke  up. 

Flosi  and  his  men  saw  all  these  tidings  from  where  they 
were  on  the  fell ;  and  Flosi  said — 

"Now  we  will  take  our  horses  and  ride  away,  for  now  it 
will  be  some  good." 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  asked  whether  it  would  be  worth  while 
to  get  to  their  homes  and  tell  the  news. 

"  It  must  be  Mord's  meaning,"  says  Flosi,  "  that  ye  will 
visit  your  wives  ;  and  my  guess  is,  that  his  plan  is  to  let  your 
houses  stand  unsacked ;  but  my  plan  is  that  not  a  man  shall 
part  from  the  other,  but  all  ride  east  with  me." 

So  every  man  took  that  counsel,  and  then  they  all  rode 
east  and  north  of  the  Jokul,  and  so  on  till  they  came  to 
Swinefell. 


248    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Flosi  sent  at  once  men  out  to  get  in  stores,  so  that  nothing 
might  fall  short. 

Flosi  never  spoke  about  the  deed,  but  no  fear  was  found 
in  him,  and  he  was  at  home  the  whole  winter  till  Yule  was 
over. 


CHAPTER  CXXXI. 

NJAL'S  AND  BERGTHORA'S  BONES  FOUND. 

Kari  bade  Hjallti  to  go  and  search  for  Njal's  bones,  "for  all 
will  believe  in  what  thou  say  est  and  thinkest  about  them  ". 

Hjallti  said  he  would  be  most  willing  to  bear  Njal's  bones 
to  church ;  so  they  rode  thence  fifteen  men.  They  rode  east 
over  Thurso-water,  and  called  on  men  there  to  come  with 
them  till  they  had  one  hundred  men,  reckoning  Njal's  neigh- 
bours. 

They  came  to  Bergthorsknoll  at  mid-day. 

Hjallti  asked  Kari  under  what  part  of  the  house  Njal  might 
be  lying,  but  Kari  showed  them  to  the  spot,  and  there  was  a 
great  heap  of  ashes  to  dig  away.  There  they  found  the  hide 
underneath,  and  it  was  as  though  it  were  shrivelled  with  the 
fire.  They  raised  up  the  hide,  and  lo !  they  were  unburnt 
under  it.  All  praised  God  for  that,  and  thought  it  was  a 
great  token. 

Then  the  boy  was  taken  up  who  had  lain  between  them, 
and  of  him  a  finger  was  burnt  off  which  he  had  stretched  out 
from  under  the  hide. 

Njal  was  borne  out,  and  so  was  Bergthora,  and  then  all 
men  went  to  see  their  bodies. 

Then  Hjallti  said — "  What  like  look  to  you  these  bodies  ?  " 

They  answered,  u  We  will  wait  for  thy  utterance 

Then  Hjallti  said,  "1  shall  speak  what  I  say  with  all 
freedom  of  speech.  The  body  of  Bergthora  looks  as  it  was 
likely  she  would  look,  and  still  fair ;  but  Njal's  body  and 
visage  seem  to  me  so  bright  that  I  have  never  seen  any  dead 
man's  body  so  bright  as  this." 

They  all  said  they  thought  so  too. 

Then  they  sought  for  Skarphedinn,  and  the  men  of  the 
household  showed  them  to  the  spot  where  Flosi  and  his  men 


NJAL  AND  BERGTHORA.  249 


heard  the  song  sung,  and  there  the  roof  had  fallen  down  by 
the  gable,  and  there  Hjallti  said  that  they  should  look.  Then 
they  did  so,  and  found  Skarphedinn' s  body  there,  and  he  had 
stood  up  hard  by  the  gable -wall,  and  his  legs  were  burnt  off 
him  right  up  to  the  knees,  but  all  the  rest  of  him  was  unburnt. 
He  had  bitten  through  his  under  lip,  his  eyes  were  wide  open 
and  not  swollen  nor  starting  out  of  his  head  ;  he  had  driven 
his  axe  into  the  gable-wall  so  hard  that  it  had  gone  in  up 
to  the  middle  of  the  blade,  and  that  was  why  it  was  not 
softened. 

After  that  the  axe  was  broken  out  of  the  wall,  and  Hjallti 
took  up  the  axe,  and  said — 

"This  is  a  rare  weapon,  and  few  would  be  able  to  wield  it." 
"  I  see  a  man/'  said  Kari,  "who  shall  bear  the  axe." 
"  Who  is  that  ?  "  says  Hjallti. 

"Thorgeir  Craggeir,"  says  Karl,  "he  whom  I  now  think  to 
be  the  greatest  man  in  all  their  family." 

Then  Skarphedinn  was  stripped  of  his  clothes,  for  they 
were  unburnt ;  he  had  laid  his  hands  in  a  cross,  and  the  right 
hand  uppermost.  They  found  marks  on  him  ;  one  between 
his  shoulders  and  the  other  on  his  chest,  and  both  were 
branded  in  the  shape  of  a  cross,  and  men  thought  that  he 
must  have  burnt  them  in  himself. 

All  men  said  that  they  thought  that  it  was  better  to  be  near 
Skarphedinn  dead  than  they  weened,  for  no  man  was  afraid  of 
him. 

They  sought  for  the  bones  of  Grim,  and  found  them  in  the 
midst  of  the  hall.  They  found,  too,  there,  right  over-against 
him  under  the  side  wall,  Thord  Freedmanson  ;  but  in  the 
weaving-room  they  found  Saevuna  the  carline,  and  three  men 
more.  In  all  they  found  there  the  bones  of  nine  souls.  Now 
they  carried  the  bodies  to  the  church,  and  then  Hjallti  rode 
home  and  Kari  with  him.  A  swelling  came  on  Ingialld's  leg, 
and  then  he  fared  to  Hjallti,  and  was  healed  there,  but  still 
he  limped  ever  afterwards. 

Kari  rode  to  Tongue  to  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son.  By  that 
time  Thorhalla  was  come  home,  and  she  had  already  told  the 
tidings.  Asgrim  took  Kari  by  both  hands,  and  bade  him  be 
there  all  that  year.    Kari  said  so  it  should  be. 

Asgrim  asked  besides  all  the  folk  who  had  been  in  the 
house  at  Bergthorsknoll  to  stay  with  him.  Kari  said  that  was 
well  offered,  and  said  he  would  take  it  on  their  behalf. 

Then  all  the  folk  were  flitted  thither. 


250    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Thorhall  Asgrim' s  son  was  so  startled  when  he  was  told 
that  his  foster-father  Njal  was  dead,  and  that  he  had  been 
burnt  in  his  house,  that  he  swelled  all  over,  and  a  stream  of 
blood  burst  out  of  both  his  ears,  and  could  not  be  staunched, 
and  he  fell  into  a  swoon,  and  then  it  was  staunched. 

After  that  he  stood  up,  and  said  he  had  behaved  like  a 
coward,  "but  I  would  that  I  might  be  able  to  avenge  this 
which  has  befallen  me  on  some  of  those  who  burnt  him". 

But  when  others  said  that  no  one  would  think  this  a  shame 
to  him,  he  said  he  could  not  stop  the  mouths  of  the  people  from 
talking  about  it. 

Asgrim  asked  Kari  what  trust  and  help  he  thought  he 
might  look  for  from  those  east  of  the  rivers.  Kari  said  that 
Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  Hjallti,  Skeggi's  son,  would  yield  him 
all  the  help  they  could,  and  so,  too,  would  Thorgeir  Craggeir, 
and  all  those  brothers. 

Asgrim  said  that  was  great  strength. 

"What  strength  shall  we  have  from  thee  ?"  says  Kari. 

"  All  that  I  can  give,"  says  Asgrim,  "  and  I  will  lay  down 
my  life  on  it." 

"  So  do,"  says  Kari. 

"  I  have  also,"  says  Asgrim,  "  brought  Gizur  the  white 
into  the  suit,  and  have  asked  his  advice  how  we  shall  set 
about  it." 

"  What  advice  did  he  give  ?  "  asks  Kari. 

"He  counselled,"  answers  Asgrim,  "'that  we  should  hold 
us  quite  still  till  spring,  but  then  ride  east  and  set  the  suit  on 
foot  against  Flosi  for  the  manslaughter  of  Helgi,  and  summon  the 
neighbours  from  their  homes,  and  give  due  notice  at  the  Thing 
of  the  suits  for  the  burning,  and  summon  the  same  neighbours 
there  too  on  the  inquest  before  the  court.  I  asked  Gizur  who 
should  plead  the  suit  for  manslaughter,  but  he  said  that  Mord 
should  plead  it  whether  he  liked  it  or  not,  and  now/  he  went 
on,  '  it  shall  fall  most  heavily  on  him  that  up  to  this  time  all 
the  suits  he  has  undertaken  have  had  the  worst  ending.  Kari 
shall  also  be  wroth  whenever  he  meets  Mord,  and  so,  if  he  be 
made  to  fear  on  one  side,  and  has  to  look  to  me  on  the  other, 
then  he  will  undertake  the  duty.'  " 

Then  Kari  said,  "  We  will  follow  thy  counsel  as  long  as  we 
can,  and  thou  shalt  lead  us  ". 

It  is  to  be  told  of  Kari  that  he  could  not  sleep  of  nights. 
Asgrim  woke  up  one  night  and  heard  that  Kari  was  awake, 
and  Asgrim  said — "  Is  it  that  thou  canst  not  sleep  at  night  ? " 


FLOSI'S  DREAM.  251 


Then  Kari  sang  this  song — 

Bender  of  the  bow  of  battle, 
Sleep  will  not  rny  eyelids  seal, 
Still  my  murdered  messmates'  bidding 
Haunts  my  mind  the  livelong  night ; 
Since  the  men  their  brands  abusing 
Burned  last  autumn  guileless  Njal, 
Burned  him  house  and  home  together, 
Mindful  am  I  of  my  hurt. 

Kari  spoke  of  no  men  so  often  as  of  Njal  and  Skarphedinn, 
and  Bergthora  and  Helgi.  He  never  abused  his  foes,  and 
never  threatened  them. 


CHAPTER  CXXXII. 

FLOSI'S  DREAM. 

One  night  it  so  happened  that  Flosi  struggled  much  in  his 
sleep.    Glum  Hilldir's  son  woke  him  up,  and  then  Flosi  said — 
"Call  me  Kettle  of  the  Mark." 

Kettle  came  thither,  and  Flosi  said,  "  I  will  tell  thee  my 
dream  ". 

"I  am  ready  to  hear  it,"  says  Kettle. 

"I  dreamt,"  says  Flosi,  "that  methought  I  stood  below 
Loom-nip,  and  went  out  and  looked  up  to  the  Nip,  and  all  at 
once  it  opened,  and  a  man  came  out  of  the  Nip,  and  he  was 
clad  in  goatskins,  and  had  an  iron  staff  in  his  hand.  He  called, 
as  he  walked,  on  many  of  my  men,  some  sooner  and  some  later, 
and  named  them  by  name.  First  he  called  Grim  the  Red  my 
kinsman,  and  Ami  Kol's  son.  Then  methought  something 
strange  followed,  methought  he  called  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son, 
and  Ljot  son  of  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  some  six  men  more. 
Then  he  held  his  peace  awhile.  After  that  he  called  five  men 
of  our  band,  and  among  them  were  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  thy 
brothers  ;  then  he  called  other  six  men,  and  among  them  were 
Lambi,  and  Modolf,  and  Glum.  Then  he  called  three  men. 
Last  of  all  he  called  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Kol  Thorstein  s 
son.  After  that  he  came  up  to  me  ;  I  asked  him  '  what  news 
He  said  he  had  tidings  enough  to  tell.  Then  I  asked  him  for 
his  name,  but  he  called  himself  Irongrim.  I  asked  him  whither 
he  was  going  ;  he  said  he  had  to  fare  to  the  Althing.    '  What 


252    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


shalt  thou  do  there  ? '  I  said.  '  First  I  shall  challenge  the 
inquest/  he  answers,  '  and  then  the  courts,  then  clear  the  field 
for  fighters.'    After  that  he  sang  this  song — 

"  1  Soon  a  man  death's  snake-strokes  dealing 
High  shall  lift  his  head  on  earth, 
Here  amid  the  dust  low  rolling 
Battered  brainpans  men  shall  see  ; 
Now  upon  the  hills  in  hurly 
Buds  the  blue  steel's  harvest  bright ; 
Soon  the  bloody  dew  of  battle 
Thigh-deep  through  the  ranks  shall  rise.' 

"  Then  he  shouted  with  such  a  mighty  shout  that  methought 
everything  near  shook,  and  dashed  down  his  staff,  and  there 
was  a  mighty  crash.  Then  he  went  back  into  the  fell,  but 
fear  clung  to  me  ;  and  now  I  wish  thee  to  tell  me  what  thou 
thinkest  this  dream  is." 

"  It  is  my  foreboding,"  says  Kettle,  "  that  all  those  who 
were  called  must  be  '  fey  \  It  seems  to  me  good  counsel  that 
we  tell  this  dream  to  no  man  just  now." 

Flosi  said  so  it  should  be.  Now  the  winter  passes  away 
till  Yule  was  over.    Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"  Now  I  mean  that  we  should  fare  from  home,  for  methinks 
we  shall  not  be  able  to  have  an  idle  peace.  Now  we  shall  fare 
to  pray  for  help,  and  now  that  will  come  true  which  I  told 
you,  that  we  should  have  to  bow  the  knee  to  many  ere  this 
quarrel  were  ended." 


CHAPTER  CXXXIII. 

OF  FLOSI'S  JOURNEY  AND  HIS  ASKING  FOR  HELP. 

After  that  they  busked  them  from  home  all  together.  Flosi 
was  in  long-hose  because  he  meant  to  go  on  foot,  and  then  he 
knew  that  it  would  seem  less  hard  to  the  others  to  walk. 

Then  they  fared  from  home  to  Knappvale,  but  the  evening 
after  to  Broadwater,  and  then  to  Calffell,  thence  by  Bjornness 
to  Hornfirth,  thence  to  Staffell  in  Lon,  and  then  to  Thvattwater 
to  Hall  of  the  Side. 

Flosi  had  to  wife  Steinvora,  his  daughter. 

Hall  gave  them  a  very  hearty  welcome,  and  Flosi  said  to 
Hall— 


OF  FLOSI'S  JOURNEY.  253 


u  I  will  ask  thee,  father-in-law,  that  thou  wouldst  ride  to 
the  Thing  with  me  with  all  thy  Thingmen." 

"Now/'  answered  Hall,  "it  has  turned  out  as  the  saw  says, 
'  but  a  short  while  is  hand  fain  of  blow ' ;  and  yet  it  is  one  and 
the  same  man  in  thy  band  who  now  hangs  his  head,  and  who 
then  goaded  thee  on  to  the  worst  of  deeds  when  it  was  still 
undone.  But  my  help  I  am  bound  to  lend  thee  in  all  such 
places  as  I  may." 

"What  counsel  dost  thou  give  me,"  said  Flosi,  "in  the 
strait  in  which  I  now  am  ?  " 

"  Thou  shalt  fare,"  said  Hall,  "  north,  right  up  to  Weapon- 
firth,  and  ask  all  the  chiefs  for  aid,  and  thou  wilt  yet  need  it 
all  before  the  Thing  is  over." 

Flosi  stayed  there  three  nights,  and  rested  him,  and  fared 
thence  east  to  Geitahellna,  and  so  to  Berufirth ;  there  they 
were  the  night.  Thence  they  fared  east  to  Broaddale  in 
Haydale.  There  Hallbjorn  the  strong  dwelt.  He  had  to 
wife  Oddny  the  sister  of  Saurli  Broddhelgi's  son,  and  Flosi 
had  a  hearty  welcome  there. 

Hallbjorn  asked  how  far  north  among  the  firths  Flosi  meant 
to  go.  He  said  he  meant  to  go  as  far  as  Weaponfirth.  Then 
Flosi  took  a  purse  of  money  from  his  belt,  and  said  he  would 
give  it  to  Hallbjorn.  He  took  the  money,  but  yet  said  he 
had  no  claim  on  Flosi  for  gifts,  but  still  I  would  be  glad  to 
know  in  what  thou  wilt  that  I  repay  thee." 

"  I  have  no  need  of  money,"  says  Flosi,  "  but  I  wish  thou 
wouldst  ride  to  the  Thing  with  me,  and  stand  by  me  in  my 
quarrel,  but  still  I  have  no  ties  or  kinship  to  tell  towards 
thee." 

"  I  will  grant  thee  that,"  said  Hallbjorn,  "  to  ride  to  the 
Thing  with  thee,  and  to  stand  by  thee  in  thy  quarrel  as  I 
would  by  my  brother." 

Flosi  thanked  him,  and  Hallbjorn  asked  much  about  the 
Burning,  but  they  told  him  all  about  it  at  length. 

Thence  Flosi  fared  to  Broaddale's  heath,  and  so  to  Hrafn- 
kelstede,  there  dwelt  Hrafnkell,  the  son  of  Thorir,  the  son  of 
Hrafnkell  Raum.  Flosi  had  a  hearty  welcome  there,  and 
sought  for  help  and  a  promise  to  ride  to  the  Thing  from 
Hrafnkell,  but  he  stood  out  a  long  while,  though  the  end  of 
it  was  that  he  gave  his  word  that  his  son  Thorir  should  ride 
with  all  their  Thingmen,  and  yield  him  such  help  as  the  other 
priests  of  the  same  district. 

Flosi  thanked  him  and  fared  away  to  Bersastede.  There 


254    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Holmstein  son  of  Bersi  the  wise  dwelt,  and  he  gave  Flosi  a 
very  hearty  welcome.  Flosi  begged  him  for  help.  Holmstein 
said  he  had  been  long  in  his  debt  for  help. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Waltheofstede — there  Saurli  Brodd- 
helgi's  son,  Bjarni's  brother,  dwelt.  He  had  to  wife  Thordisa, 
a  daughter  of  Gudmund  the  powerful,  of  Modruvale.  They 
had  a  hearty  welcome  there.  But  next  morning  Flosi  raised 
the  question  with  Saurli  that  he  should  ride  to  the  Althing 
with  him,  and  bid  him  money  for  it. 

"I  cannot  tell  about  that,"  says  Saurli,  "so  long  as  I  do 
not  know  on  which  side  my  father-in-law  Gudmund  the  power- 
ful stands,  for  I  mean  to  stand  by  him  on  whichever  side  he 
stands." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Flosi,  ss  I  see  by  thy  answer  that  a  woman 
rules  in  this  house." 

Then  Flosi  stood  up  and  bade  his  men  take  their  upper 
clothing  and  weapons,  and  then  they  fared  away,  and  got  no 
help  there.  So  they  fared  below  Lagarfleet  and  over  the  heath 
to  Njardwick  ;  there  two  brothers  dwelt,  Thorkel  the  allwise, 
and  Thorwalld  his  brother ;  they  were  sons  of  Kettle,  the  son 
of  Thidrandi  the  wise,  the  son  of  Kettle  rumble,  son  of  Thorir 
Thidrandi.  The  mother  of  Thorkel  the  allwise  and  Thorwalld 
was  Yngvillda,  daughter  of  Thorkel  the  wise.  Flosi  got  a 
hearty  welcome  there  ;  he  told  those  brothers  plainly  of  his 
errand,  and  asked  for  their  help ;  but  they  put  him  off  until 
he  gave  three  marks  of  silver  to  each  of  them  for  their  aid  ; 
then  they  agreed  to  stand  by  Flosi. 

Their  mother  Yngvillda  was  by  when  they  gave  their  words 
to  ride  to  the  Althing,  and  wept.  Thorkel  asked  why  she 
wept ;  and  she  answered — 

"  I  dreamt  that  thy  brother  Thorwalld  was  clad  in  a  red 
kirtle,  and  methought  it  was  so  tight  as  though  it  ^~ere  sewn 
on  him ;  methought  too  that  he  wore  red  hose  on  his  legs  and 
feet,  and  bad  shoethongs  were  twisted  round  them  ;  methought 
it  ill  to  see  when  I  knew  he  was  so  uncomfortable,  but  I  could 
do  naught  for  him." 

They  laughed  and  told  her  she  had  lost  her  wits,  and  said 
her  babble  should  not  stand  in  the  way  of  their  ride  to  the 
Thing. 

Flosi  thanked  them  kindly,  and  fared  thence  to  Weapon- 
firth  and  came  to  Hof.  There  dwelt  Bjarni  Broddhelgi's  son. 
Bjarni  took  Flosi  by  both  hands,  and  Flosi  bade  Bjarni  money 
for  his  help. 


OF  FLOSI'S  JOURNEY.  255 


"Never,"  says  Bjarni,  "have  I  sold  my  manhood  or  help 
for  bribes,  but  now  that  thou  art  in  need  of  help,  I  will  do 
thee  a  good  turn  for  friendship's  sake,  and  ride  to  the  Thing 
with  thee,  and  stand  by  thee  as  I  would  by  my  brother." 

"  Then  thou  hast  thrown  a  great  load  of  debt  on  my  hands," 
said  Flosi,  "but  still  I  looked  for  as  much  from  thee." 

Thence  Flosi  and  his  men  fared  to  Crosswick.  Thorkel 
Geiti's  son  was  a  great  friend  of  his.  Flosi  told  him  his  errand, 
and  Thorkel  said  it  was  but  his  duty  to  stand  by  him  in  every 
way  in  his  power,  and  not  to  part  from  his  quarrel.  Thorkel 
gave  Flosi  good  gifts  at  parting. 

Thence  they  fared  north  to  Weaponfirth  and  up  into  the 
Fleetdale  country,  and  turned  in  as  guests  at  Holmstein's,  the 
son  of  Bersi  the  wise.  Flosi  told  him  that  all  had  backed  him 
in  his  need  and  business  well,  save  Saurli  Broddhelgi's  son. 
Holmstein  said  the  reason  of  that  was  that  he  was  not  a  man 
of  strife.    Holmstein  gave  Flosi  good  gifts. 

Flosi  fared  up  Fleetdale,  and  thence  south  on  the  fell 
across  Oxenlava  and  down  Swinehorndale,  and  so  out  by 
Alftafirth  to  the  west,  and  did  not  stop  till  he  came  to 
Thvattwater  to  his  father-in-law  Hall's  house.  There  he 
stayed  half  a  month,  and  his  men  with  him  and  rested  him. 

Flosi  asked  Hall  what  counsel  he  would  now  give  him, 
and  what  he  should  do  next,  and  whether  he  should  change 
his  plans. 

"  My  counsel,"  said  Hall,  "  is  this,  that  thou  goest  home 
to  thy  house,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus  with  thee,  but  that  they 
send  men  to  set  their  homesteads  in  order.  But  first  of  all 
fare  home,  and  when  ye  ride  to  the  Thing,  ride  all  together, 
and  do  not  scatter  your  band.  Then  let  the  sons  of  Sigfus  go 
to  see  their  wives  on  the  way.  I  too  will  ride  to  the  Thing, 
and  Ljot  "tfiy  son  with  all  our  Thingmen,  and  stand  by  thee 
with  such  force  as  I  can  gather  to  me." 

Flosi  thanked  him,  and  Hall  gave  him  good  gifts  at 
parting. 

Then  Flosi  went  away  from  Thvattwater,  and  nothing  is 
to  be  told  of  his  journey  till  he  comes  home  to  Swinefell. 
There  he  stayed  at  home  the  rest  of  the  winter,  and  all  the 
summer  right  up  to  the  Thing. 


256    THE  STORY  OF  BCJRNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CXXXIV. 

OF  THORHALL  AND  KARL 

Thorhall  Asgrim's  son,  and  Kari  Solmund's  son,  rode  one  day 
to  Mossfell  to  see  Gizur  the  white  ;  he  took  them  with  both 
hands,  and  there  they  were  at  his  house  a  very  long  while. 
Once  it  happened  as  they  and  Gizur  talked  of  Njal's  burning, 
that  Gizur  said  it  was  very  great  luck  that  Kari  had  got  away. 
Then  a  song  came  into  Kari's  mouth. 

I  who  whetted  helmet-hewer,* 
I  who  oft  have  burnished  brand, 
From  the  fray  went  all  unwilling 
When  Njal's  rooftree  crackling  roared  ; 
Out  I  leapt  when  bands  of  spearmen 
Lighted  there  a  blaze  of  flame  ! 
Listen  men  unto  my  moaning, 
Mark  the  telling  of  my  grief. 

Then  Gizur  said,  "  It  must  be  forgiven  thee  that  thou  art 
mindful,  and  so  we  will  talk  no  more  about  it  just  now 

Kari  says  that  he  will  ride  home  ;  and  Gizur  said  "  I  will 
now  make  a  clean  breast  of  my  counsel  to  thee.  Thou  shalt 
not  ride  home,  but  still  thou  shalt  ride  away,  and  east  under 
Eyjafell,  to  see  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  Thorleif  crow.  They 
shall  ride  from  the  east  with  thee.  They  are  the  next  of  kin 
in  the  suit,  and  with  them  shall  ride  Thorgrim  the  big,  their 
brother.  Ye  shall  ride  to  Mord  Valgard's  son's  house,  and  tell 
him  this  message  from  me,  that  he  shall  take  up  the  suit  for 
manslaughter  for  Helgi  Njal's  son  against  Flosi.  But  if  he 
utters  any  words  against  this,  then  shalt  thou  make  thyself 
most  wrathful,  and  make  believe  as  though  thou  wouldst  let  thy 
axe  fall  on  his  head  ;  and  in  the  second  place,  thou  shalt  assure 
him  of  my  wrath  if  he  shows  any  ill  will.  Along,  with  that 
shalt  thou  say,  that  I  will  send  and  fetch  away  my  daughter 
Thorkatla,  and  make  her  come  home  to  me  ;  but  that  he  will 
not  abide,  for  he  loves  her  as  the  very  eyes  in  his  head." 

Kari  thanked  him  for  his  counsel.  Kari  spoke  nothing  of 
help  to  him,  for  he  thought  he  would  show  himself  his  good 
friend  in  this  as  in  other  things. 

Thence  Kari  rode  east  over  the  rivers,  and  so  to  Fleetlithe, 


*  "  Helmet-hewer,"  sword. 


OF  THORHALL  AND  KARL  257 


and  east  across  Markfleet,  and  so  on  to  Selialandsmull.  So 
they  ride  east  to  Holt. 

Thorgeir  welcomed  them  with  the  greatest  kindliness.  He 
told  them  of  Flosi's  journey,  and  how  great  help  he  had  got  in 
the  east  firths. 

Kari  said  it  was  no  wonder  that  he,  who  had  to  answer  for 
so  much,  should  ask  for  help  for  himself. 

Then  Thorgeir  said,  "The  better  things  go  for  them,  the 
worse  it  shall  be  for  them ;  we  will  only  follow  them  up  so 
much  the  harder 

Kari  told  Thorgeir  of  Gizur's  advice.  After  that  they  ride 
from  the  east  to  Rangrivervale  to  Mord  Valgard's  son's  house. 
He  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome.  Kari  told  him  the  message 
of  Gizur  his  father-in-law.  He  was  slow  to  take  the  duty  on 
him,  and  said  it  was  harder  to  go  to  law  with  Flosi  than  with 
any  other  ten  men. 

"Thou  behavest  now  as  he  [Gizur]  thought/ '  said  Kari; 
"  for  thou  art  a  bad  bargain  in  every  way ;  thou  art  both  a 
coward  and  heartless,,  but  the  end  of  this  shall  be  as  is  fitting, 
that  Thorkatla  shall  fare  home  to  her  father." 

She  busked  her  at  once,  and  said  she  had  long  been  "  boun  " 
to  part  from  Mord.  Then  he  changed  his  mood  and  his  words 
quickly,  and  begged  off  their  wrath,  and  took  the  suit  upon 
him  at  once. 

"  Now/'  said  Kari,  "thou  hast  taken  the  suit  upon  thee,  see 
that  thou  pleadest  it  without  fear,  for  thy  life  lies  on  it." 

Mord  said  he  would  lay  his  whole  heart  on  it  to  do  this 
well  and  manfully. 

After  that  Mord  summoned  to  him  nine  neighbours — they 
were  all  near  neighbours  to  the  spot  where  the  deed  was  done. 
Then  Mord  took  Thorgeir  by  the  hand  and  named  two  witnesses 
to  bear  witness,  "  that  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  hands  me  over  a 
suit  for  manslaughter  against  Flosi  Thord's  son,  to  plead  it  for 
the  slaying  of  Helgi  Njal's  son,  with  all  those  proofs  which 
have  to  follow  the  suit.  Thou  handest  over  to  me  this  suit  to 
plead  and  to  settle,  and  to  enjoy  all  rights  in  it,  as  though  I 
were  the  rightful  next  of  kin.  Thou  handest  it  over  to  me  by 
law,  and  I  take  it  from  thee  by  law." 

A  second  time  Mord  named  his  witnesses,  "  to  bear  witness," 
said  he,  "  that  I  give  notice  of  an  assault  laid  down  by  law 
against  Flosi  Thord's  son,  for  that  he  dealt  Helgi  Njal's  son  a 
brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a  death 
wound ;  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his  death.    I  give  notice 

17 


258    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


of  this  before  five  witnesses'* — here  he  named  them  all  by 
name — "  I  give  this  lawful  notice.  I  give  notice  of  a  suit 
which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  has  handed  over  to  me." 

Again  he  named  witnesses  to  "bear  witness  that  I  give 
notice  of  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound  against  Flosi 
Thord's  son,  for  that  wound  which  proved  a  death  wound,  but 
Helgi  got  his  death  therefrom  on  such  and  such  a  spot,  when 
Flosi  Thord's  son  first  rushed  on  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  an 
assault  laid  down  by  law.  I  give  notice  of  this  before  five 
neighbours  " — then  he  named  them  all  by  name — "  I  give  this 
lawful  notice.  I  give  notice  of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's 
son  has  handed  over  to  me." 

Then  Mord  named  his  witnesses  again  "  to  bear  witness," 
said  he,  "that  I  summon  these  nine  neighbours  who  dwell 
nearest  the  spot " — here  he  named  them  all  by  name — "  to 
ride  to  the  Althing,  and  to  sit  on  the  inquest  to  find  whether 
Flosi  Thord's  son  rushed  with  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  on 
Helgi  Njal's  son,  on  that  spot  where  Flosi  Thord's  son  dealt 
Helgi  Njal's  son  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which 
proved  a  death  wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his  death. 
I  call  on  you  to  utter  all  those  words  which  ye  are  bound  to 
find  by  law,  and  which  I  shall  call  on  you  to  utter  before  the 
court,  and  which  belong  to  this  suit  ;  I  call  upon  you  by  a 
lawful  summons — I  call  on  you  so  that  ye  may  yourselves  hear 
— I  call  on  you  in  the  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  has 
handed  over  to  me." 

Again  Mord  named  his  witnesses,  "  to  bear  witness,  that  I 
summon  these  nine  neighbours  who  dwell  nearest  to  the  spot 
to  ride  to  the  Althing,  and  to  sit  on  an  inquest  to  find  whether 
Flosi  Thord's  son  wounded  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  a  brain,  or 
body,  or  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a  death  wound,  and 
from  which  Helgi  got  his  death,  on  that  spot  where  Flosi 
Thord's  son  first  rushed  on  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  an  assault 
laid  down  by  law.  I  call  on  you  to  utter  all  those  words 
which  ye  are  bound  to  find  by  law,  and  which  I  shall  call  on 
you  to  utter  before  the  court,  and  which  belong  to  this  suit. 
I  call  upon  you  by  a  lawful  summons — I  call  on  you  so  that  ye 
may  yourselves  hear — I  call  on  you  in  the  suit  which  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son  has  handed  over  to  me." 
Then  Mord  said — 

"  Now  is  the  suit  set  on  foot  as  ye  asked,  and  now  I  will 
pray  thee,  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  to  come  to  me  when  thou  ridest 
to  the  Thing,  and  then  let  us  both  ride  together,  each  with 


OF  THORHALL  AND  KARL  259 


our  band,  and  keep  as  close  as  we  can  together,  for  my  band 
shall  be  ready  by  the  very  beginning  of  the  Thing,  and  I  will 
be  true  to  you  in  all  things/' 

They  showed  themselves  well  pleased  at  that,  and  this 
was  fast  bound  by  oaths,  that  no  man  should  sunder  himself 
from  another  till  Kari  willed  it,  and  that  each  of  them  should 
lay  down  his  life  for  the  others  life.  Now  they  parted  with 
friendship,  and  settled  to  meet  again  at  the  Thing. 

Now  Thorgeir  rides  back  east,  but  Kari  rides  west  over 
the  rivers  till  he  came  to  Tongue,  to  Asgrim's  house.  He 
welcomed  them  wonderfully  well,  and  Kari  told  Asgrim  all 
Gizur  the  white's  plan,  and  of  the  setting  on  foot  of  the  suit. 

"I  looked  for  as  much  from  him,"  says  Asgrim,  "that  he 
would  behave  well,  and  now  he  has  shown  it." 

Then  Asgrim  went  on — 

"  What  heardest  thou  from  the  east  of  Flosi  ?  " 

"  He  went  east  all  the  way  to  Weaponfirth,"  answers  Kari, 
w  and  nearly  all  the  chiefs  have  promised  to  ride  with  him  to 
the  Althing,  and  to  help  him.  They  look,  too,  for  help  from 
the  Reykdalesmen,  and  the  men  of  Lightwater,  and  the 
Axefirthers." 

Then  they  talked  much  about  it,  and  so  the  time  passes 
away  up  to  the  Althing. 

Thorhall  Asgrim's  son  took  such  a  hurt  in  his  leg  that  the 
foot  above  the  ankle  was  as  big  and  swollen  as  a  woman's 
thigh,  and  he  could  not  walk  save  with  a  staff.  He  was  a  man 
tall  in  growth,  and  strong  and  powerful,  dark  of  hue  in  hair 
and  skin,  measured  and  guarded  in  his  speech,  and  yet  hot 
and  hasty  tempered.  He  was  the  third  greatest  lawyer  in  all 
Iceland. 

Now  the  time  comes  that  men  should  ride  from  home  to 
the  Thing,  Asgrim  said  to  Kari — 

"  Thou  shalt  ride  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  Thing,  and 
lit  up  our  booths,  and  my  son  Thorhall  with  thee.  Thou  wilt 
treat  him  best  and  kindest,  as  he  is  footlame,  but  we  shall 
stand  in  the  greatest  need  of  him  at  this  Thing.  With  you 
two,  twenty  men  more  shall  ride." 

After  that  they  made  ready  for  their  journey,  and  then 
they  rode  to  the  Thing,  and  set  up  their  booths,  and  fitted 
them  out  well. 


260    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CXXXV. 

OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS. 

Flosi  rode  from  the  east  and  those  hundred  and  twenty  men 
who  had  been  at  the  Burning  with  him.  They  rode  till  they 
came  to  Fleetlithe.  Then  the  sons  of  Sigfus  looked  after  their 
homesteads  and  tarried  there  that  day,  but  at  even  they  rode 
west  over  Thurso-water,  and  slept  there  that  night.  But  next 
morning  early  they  saddled  their  horses  and  rode  off  on  their 
way. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"  Now  will  we  ride  to  Tongue  to  Asgrim  to  breakfast,  and 
trample  down  his  pride  a  little." 

They  said  that  were  well  done.  They  rode  till  they  had  a 
short  way  to  Tongue.  Asgrim  stood  out  of  doors,  and  some 
men  with  him.  They  see  the  band  as  soon  as  ever  they  could 
do  so  from  the  house.    Then  Asgrim's  men  said — 

"  There  must  be  Thorgeir  Craggeir." 

"  Not  he,"  said  Asgrim.  "  I  think  so  all  the  more  because 
these  men  fare  with  laughter  and  wantonness ;  but  such 
kinsmen  of  Njal  as  Thorgeir  is  would  not  smile  before  some 
vengeance  is  taken  for  the  Burning,  and  I  will  make  another 
guess,  and  maybe  ye  will  think  that  unlikely.  My  meaning 
is,  that  it  must  be  Flosi  and  the  Burners  with  him,  and  they 
must  mean  to  humble  us  with  insults,  and  we  will  now  go 
indoors  all  of  us." 

Now  they  do  so,  and  Asgrim  made  them  sweep  the  house 
and  put  up  the  hangings,  and  set  the  boards  and  put  meat  on 
them.  He  made  them  place  stools  along  each  bench  all  down 
the  room. 

Flosi  rode  into  the  "town,"  and  bade  men  alight  from 
their  horses  and  go  in.  They  did  so,  and  Flosi  and  his  men 
went  into  the  hall.  Asgrim  sate  on  the  cross-bench  on  the 
dais.  Flosi  looked  at  the  benches  and  saw  that  all  was  made 
ready  that  men  needed  to  have.  Asgrim  gave  them  no 
greeting,  but  said  to  Flosi — 

"  The  boards  are  set,  so  that  meat  may  be  free  to  those 
that  need  it." 

Flosi  sat  down  to  the  board,  and  all  his  men ;  but  they 
laid  their  arms  up  against  the  wainscot.    They  sat  on  the 


OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS.  261 


stools  who  found  no  room  on  the  benches  ;  but  four  men  stood 
with  weapons  just  before  where  Flosi  sat  while  they  ate. 

Asgrim  kept  his  peace  during  the  meat,  but  was  as  red  to 
look  on  as  blood. 

But  when  they  were  full,  some  women  cleared  away  the 
boards,  while  others  brought  in  water  to  wash  their  hands. 
Flosi  was  in  no  greater  hurry  than  if  he  had  been  at  home. 
There  lay  a  pole-axe  in  the  corner  of  the  dais.  Asgrim  caught 
it  up  with  both  hands,  and  ran  up  to  the  rail  at  the  edge  of 
the  dais,  and  made  a  blow  at  Flosi's  head.  Glum  Hilldir's  son 
happened  to  see  what  he  was  about  to  do,  and  sprang  up  at 
once,  and  got  hold  of  the  axe  above  Asgrim' s  hands,  and  turned 
the  edge  at  once  on  Asgrim  ;  for  Glum  was  very  strong.  Then 
many  more  men  ran  up  and  seized  Asgrim,  but  Flosi  said  that 
no  man  was  to  do  Asgrim  any  harm,  "  for  we  put  him  to  too 
hard  a  trial,  and  he  only  did  what  he  ought,  and  showed  in 
that  that  he  had  a  big  heart 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Asgrim,  "  Here,  now,  we  shall  part  safe 
and  sound,  and  meet  at  the  Thing,  and  there  begin  our  quarrel 
over  again  ". 

"  So  it  will  be,"  says  Asgrim  ;  "and  I  would  wish  that,  ere 
this  Thing  be  over,  ye  should  have  to  take  in  some  of  your 
sails." 

Flosi  answered  him  never  a  word,  and  then  they  went  out, 
and  mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  away.  They  rode  till  they 
came  to  Laugarwater,  and  were  there  that  night ;  but  next 
morning  they  rode  on  to  Baitvale,  and  baited  their  horses 
there,  and  there  many  bands  rode  to  meet  them.  There  was 
Hall  of  the  Side,  and  all  the  Eastfirthers.  Flosi  greeted  them 
well,  and  told  them  of  his  journeys  and  dealings  with  Asgrim. 
Many  praised  him  for  that,  and  said  such  things  were  bravely 
done. 

Then  Hall  said,  "  I  look  on  this  in  another  way  than  ye 
do,  for  methinks  it  was  a  foolish  prank  ;  they  were  sure  to 
bear  in  mind  their  griefs,  even  though  they  were  not  reminded 
of  them  anew ;  but  those  men  who  try  others  so  heavily  must 
look  for  all  evil ". 

It  was  seen  from  Hall's  way  that  he  thought  this  deed  far 
too  strong.  They  rode  thence  all  together,  till  they  came  to 
the  Upper  Field,  and  there  they  set  their  men  in  array,  and 
rode  down  on  the  Thing. 

Flosi  had  made  them  fit  out  Byrgir's  booth  ere  he  rode 
to  the  Thing ;  but  the  Eastfirthers  rode  to  their  own  booths. 


262    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CXXXVI. 

OF  THORGEIR  CRAGGEIR. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  rode  from  the  east  with  much  people. 
His  brothers  were  with  him,  Thorleif  crow  and  Thorgrim  the 
big.  They  came  to  Hof,  to  Mord  Valgard's  son's  house,  and 
bided  there  till  he  was  ready.  Mord  had  gathered  every  man 
who  could  bear  arms,  and  they  could  see  nothing  about  him 
but  that  he  was  most  steadfast  in  everything,  and  now  they 
rode  until  they  came  west  across  the  rivers.  Then  they 
waited  for  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son.  He  came  after  they  had 
waited  a  short  while,  and  they  greeted  him  well,  and  rode 
afterwards  all  together  till  they  came  to  Reykia  in  Bishop's- 
tongue,  and  bided  there  for  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  he 
came  to  meet  them  there.  Then  they  rode  west  across  Bridge- 
water.  Then  Asgrim  told  them  all  that  had  passed  between 
him  and  Flosi ;  and  Thorgeir  said — 

u  I  would  that  we  might  try  their  bravery  ere  the  Thing 
closes." 

They  rode  until  they  came  to  Baitvale.  There  Gizur  the 
white  came  to  meet  them  with  a  very  great  company,  and 
they  fell  to  talking  together.  Then  they  rode  to  the  Upper 
Field,  and  drew  up  all  their  men  in  array  there,  and  so  rode 
to  the  Thing. 

Flosi  and  his  men  all  took  to  their  arms,  and  it  was  within 
an  ace  that  they  would  fall  to  blows.  But  Asgrim  and  his 
friends  and  tiieir  followers  would  have  no  hand  in  it,  and  rode 
to  their  booths  ;  and  now  all  was  quiet  that  day,  so  that  they 
had  naught  to  do  with  one  another.  Thither  were  come  chiefs 
from  all  the  Quarters  of  the  land ;  there  had  never  been  such 
a  crowded  Thing  before,  that  men  could  call  to  mind. 


CHAPTER  CXXXVII. 

OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON. 

There  was  a  man  named  Eyjolf.  He  was  the  son  of  Bolverk, 
the  son  of  Eyjolf  the  guileful,  of  Otterdale.  Eyjolf  was  a  man 
of  great  rank,  and  best  skilled  in  law  of  all  men,  so  that  some 


OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON.  263 


said  he  was  the  third  best  lawyer  in  Iceland.  He  was  the 
fairest  in  face  of  all  men,  tall  and  strong,  and  there  was  the 
making  of  a  great  chief  in  him.  He  was  greedy  of  money,  like 
the  rest  of  his  kinsfolk. 

One  day  Flosi  went  to  the  booth  of  Bjarni  Broddhelgi's 
son.  Bjarni  took  him  by  both  hands,  and  sat  Flosi  down  by 
his  side.  They  talked  about  many  things,  and  at  last  Flosi 
said  to  Bjarni — 

"  What  counsel  shall  we  now  take  ?  " 

"I  think,"  answered  Bjarni,  "that  it  is  now  hard  to  say 
what  to  do,  but  the  wisest  thing  seems  to  me  to  go  round  and 
ask  for  help,  since  they  are  drawing  strength  together  against 
you.  I  will  also  ask  thee,  Flosi,  whether  there  be  any  very 
good  lawyer  in  your  band ;  for  now  there  are  but  two  courses 
left ;  one  to  ask  if  they  will  take  an  atonement,  and  that  is  not 
a  bad  choice,  but  the  other  is  to  defend  the  suit  at  law,  if  there 
be  any  defence  to  it,  though  that  will  seem  to  be  a  bold  course  ; 
and  this  is  why  I  think  this  last  ought  to  be  chosen,  because 
ye  have  hitherto  fared  high  and  mightily,  and  it  is  unseemly 
now  to  take  a  lower  course." 

"  As  to  thy  asking  about  lawyers,"  said  Flosi,  "  I  will  answer 
thee  at  once  that  there  is  no  such  man  in  our  band ;  nor  do  I 
know  where  to  look  for  one  except  it  be  Thorkel  Geiti's  son, 
thy  kinsman." 

"We  must  not  reckon  on  him,"  said  Bjarni,  "for  though 
he  knows  something  of  law,  he  is  far  too  wary,  and  no  man 
need  hope  to  have  him  as  his  shield ;  but  he  will  back  thee  as 
well  as  any  man  who  backs  thee  best,  for  he  has  a  stout  heart ; 
besides,  I  must  tell  thee  that  it  will  be  that  man's  bane  who 
undertakes  the  defence  in  this  suit  for  the  Burning,  but  I  have 
no  mind  that  this  should  befall  my  kinsman  Thorkel,  so  ye  must 
turn  your  eyes  elsewhither." 

Flosi  said  he  knew  nothing  about  who  were  the  best 
lawyers. 

"  There  is  a  man  named  Eyjolf,"  said  Bjarni;  "he  is  Bol- 
verk's  son,  and  he  is  the  best  lawyer  in  the  Westfirther's 
Quarter ;  but  you  will  need  to  give  him  much  money  if  you 
are  to  bring  him  into  the  suit,  but  still  we  must  not  stop  at 
that.  We  must  also  go  with  our  arms  to  all  law  business,  and 
be  most  wary  of  ourselves,  but  not  meddle  with  them  before 
we  are  forced  to  fight  for  our  lives.  And  now  I  will  go  with 
thee,  and  set  out  at  once  on  our  begging  for  help,  for  now  me- 
thinks  the  peace  will  be  kept  but  a  little  while  longer." 


264    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


After  that  they  go  out  of  the  booth,  and  to  the  booths  of 
the  Axefirthers.  Then  Bjarni  talks  with  Lyting  and  Bleing, 
and  Hroi  Arnstein's  son,  and  he  got  speedily  whatever  he 
asked  of  them.  Then  they  fared  to  see  Kol,  the  son  of  Killing- 
Skuti,  and  Eyvind  Thorkel's  son,  the  son  of  Askel  the  priest, 
and  asked  them  for  their  help ;  but  they  stood  out  a  long  while, 
but  the  end  of  it  was  that  they  took  three  marks  of  silver  for 
it,  and  so  went  into  the  suit  with  them. 

Then  they  went  to  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Lightwater, 
and  stayed  there  some  time.  Flosi  begged  the  men  of  Light- 
water  for  help,  but  they  were  stubborn  and  hard  to  win  over, 
and  then  Flosi  said,  with  much  wrath,  "Ye  are  ill-behaved  ! 
ye  are  grasping  and  wrongful  at  home  in  your  own  country,  and 
ye  will  not  help  men  at  the  Thing,  though  they  need  it.  No 
doubt  you  will  be  held  up  to  reproach  at  the  Thing,  and  very 
great  blame  will  be  laid  on  you  if  ye  bare  not  in  mind  that 
scorn  and  those  biting  words  which  Skarphedinn  hurled  at  you 
men  of  Lightwater/' 

But  on  the  other  hand,  Flosi  dealt  secretly  with  them,  and 
bade  them  money  for  their  help,  and  so  coaxed  them  over  with 
fair  words,  until  it  came  about  that  they  promised  him  their 
aid,  and  then  became  so  steadfast  that  they  said  they  would 
fight  for  Flosi,  if  need  were. 

Then  Bjarni  said  to  Flosi — 

"  Well  done  !  well  done  !  Thou  art  a  mighty  chief,  and 
a  bold  out-spoken  man,  and  reckest  little  what  thou  sayest  to 
men." 

After  that  they  fared  away  west  across  the  river,  and  so 
to  the  Hladbooth.  They  saw  many  men  outside  before  the 
booth.  There  was  one  man  who  had  a  scarlet  cloak  over  his 
shoulders,  and  a  gold  band  round  his  head,  and  an  axe  studded 
with  silver  in  his  hand. 

"This  is  just  right,"  said  Bjarni,  "here  now  is  the  man  I 
spoke  of,  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  if  thou  wilt  see  him,  Flosi." 

Then  they  went  to  meet  Eyjolf^  and  hailed  him.  Eyjolf 
knew  Bjarni  at  once,  and  greeted  him  well.  Bjarni  took  Eyjolf 
by  the  hand,  and  led  him  up  into  the  "  Great  Rift ".  Flosi' s 
and  Bj ami's  men  followed  after,  and  Eyjolf 's  men  went  also 
with  him.  They  bade  them  stay  upon  the  lower  brink  of  the 
Rift,  and  look  about  them,;  but  Flosi,  and  Bjarni,  and  Eyjolf 
went  on  till  they  came  to  where  the  path  leads  down  from  the 
upper  brink  of  the  Rift. 

Flosi  said  it  was  a  good  spot  to  sit  down  there,  for  they 


OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON.  265 


could  see  around  them  far  and  wide.  Then  they  sat  them  down 
there.    They  were  four  of  them  together,  and  no  more. 

Then  Bjarni  spoke  to  Eyjolf,  and  said — 

"  Thee,  friend,  have  we  come  to  see,  for  we  much  need  thy 
help  in  every  way." 

"  Now,"  said  Eyjolf,  st  there  is  good  choice  of  men  here  at 
the  Thing,  and  ye  will  not  find  it  hard  to  fall  on  those  who 
will  be  a  much  greater  strength  to  you  than  I  can  be." 

"Not  so,"  said  Bjarni,  "thou  hast  many  things  which  show 
that  there  is  no  greater  man  than  thou  at  the  Thing  ;  first  of 
all,  that  thou  art  so  well-born,  as  all  those  men  are  who  are 
sprung  from  Ragnar  hairy breeks  ;  thy  forefathers,  too,  have 
always  stood  first  in  great  suits,  both  here  at  the  Thing,  and 
at  home  in  their  own  country,  and  they  have  always  had  the 
best  of  it ;  we  think,  therefore,  it  is  likely  that  thou  wilt  be 
lucky  in  winning  suits,  like  thy  kinsfolk." 

"Thou  speakest  well,  Bjarni,"  said  Eyjolf;  "but  I  think 
that  I  have  small  share  in  all  this  that  thou  say  est." 

Then  Flosi  said — 

"  There  is  no  need  beating  about  the  bush  as  to  what  we 
have  in  mind.  We  wish  to  ask  for  thy  help,  Eyjolf,  and  that 
thou  wilt  stand  by  us  in  our  suits,  and  go  to  the  court  with  us, 
and  undertake  the  defence,  if  there  be  any,  and  plead  it  for 
us,  and  stand  by  us  in  all  things  that  may  happen  at  this 
Thing." 

Eyjolf  jumped  up  in  wrath,  and  said  that  no  man  had  any 
right  to  think  that  he  could  make  a  catspaw  of  him,  or  drag 
him  on  if  he  had  no  mind  to  go  himself. 

"  I  see,  too,  now,"  he  says,  "  what  has  led  you  to  utter  all 
those  fair  words  with  which  ye  began  to  speak  to  me." 

Then  Hallbjorn  the  strong  caught  hold  of  him  and  sate  him 
down  by  his  side,  between  him  and  Bjarni,  and  said — 

"  No  tree  falls  at  the  first  stroke,  friend,  but  sit  here  awhile 
by  us." 

Than  Flosi  drew  a  gold  ring  off  his  arm. 

"This  ring  will  I  give  thee,  Eyjolf,  for  thy  help  and 
friendship,  and  so  show  thee  that  I  will  not  befool  thee.  It 
will  be  best  for  thee  to  take  the  ring,  for  there  is  no  man  here 
at  the  Thing  to  whom  I  have  ever  given  such  a  gift." 

The  ring  was  such  a  good  one,  and  so  well  made,  that  it 
was  worth  twelve  hundred  yards  of  russet  stuff. 

Hallbjorn  drew  the  ring  on  Eyjolf  s  arm ;  and  Eyjolf 
said — 


266    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


w  It  is  now  most  fitting  that  I  should  take  the  ring,  since 
thou  behavest  so  handsomely  ;  and  now  thou  mayest  make  up 
thy  mind  that  I  will  undertake  the  defence,  and  do  all  things 
needful." 

"  Now/'  said  Bjarni,  "ye  behave  handsomely  on  both  sides, 
and  here  are  men  well  fitted  to  be  witnesses,  since  I  and 
Hallbjorn  are  here,  that  thou  hast  undertaken  the  suit." 

Then  Eyjolf  arose,  and  Flosi  too,  and  they  took  one  another 
by  the  hand ;  and  so  Eyjolf  undertook  the  whole  defence  of 
the  suit  off  Flosi's  hands,  and  so,  too,  if  any  suit  arose  out  of 
the  defence,  for  it  often  happens  that  what  is  a  defence  in  one 
suit,  is  a  plaintiff  s  plea  in  another.  So  he  took  upon  him  all 
the  proofs  and  proceedings  which  belonged  to  those  suits, 
whether  they  were  to  be  pleaded  before  the  Quarter  Court  or 
the  Fifth  Court.  Flosi  handed  them  over  in  lawful  form,  and 
Eyjolf  took  them  in  lawful  form,  and  then  he  said  to  Flosi  and 
Bjarni. 

"  Now  I  have  undertaken  this  defence  just  as  ye  asked,  but 
my  wish  it  is  that  ye  should  still  keep  it  secret  at  first ;  but  if 
the  matter  comes  into  the  Fifth  Court,  then  be  most  careful 
not  to  say  that  ye  have  given  goods  for  my  help." 

Then  Flosi  went  home  to  his  booth,  and  Bjarni  with  him, 
but  Eyjolf  went  to  the  booth  of  Snorri  the  priest,  and  sate 
down  by  him,  and  they  talked  much  together. 

Snorri  the  priest  caught  hold  of  Eyjolf  s  arm,  and  turned 
up  the  sleeve,  and  sees  that  he  had  a  great  ring  of  gold  on  his 
arm.    Then  Snorri  the  priest  said — 

"  Pray,  was  this  ring  bought  or  given  ?  " 

Eyjolf  was  put  out  about  it,  and  had  never  a  word  to  say. 
Then  Snorri  said — 

"  I  see  plainly  that  thou  must  have  taken  it  as  a  gift,  and 
may  this  ring  not  be  thy  death ! " 

Eyjolf  jumped  up  and  went  away,  and  would  not  speak 
about  it ;  and  Snorri  said,  as  Eyjolf  arose — 

"  It  is  very  likely  that  thou  wilt  know  what  kind  of  gift 
thou  hast  taken  by  the  time  this  Thing  is  ended." 

Then  Eyjolf  went  to  his  booth. 


ASGRIM,  AND  GIZUR,  AND  KARI.  267 


CHAPTER  CXXXVIII. 

OF  ASGRIM,  AND  GIZUR,  AND  KARI. 

Now  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  talks  to  Gizur  the  white,  and 
Kari  Solmund's  son,  and  to  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  Mord  Val- 
gard's  son,  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  says — 

"  There  is  no  need  to  have  any  secrets  here,  for  only  those 
men  are  by  who  know  all  our  counsel.  Now  I  will  ask  you  if 
ye  know  anything  of  their  plans,  for  if  you  do,  it  seems  to  me 
that  we  must  take  fresh  counsel  about  our  own  plans.' ' 

"  Snorri  the  priest,"  answers  Gizur  the  white,  "  sent  a  man 
to  me,  and  bade  him  tell  me  that  Flosi  had  gotten  great  help 
from  the  Northlanders ;  but  that  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  his 
kinsman,  had  had  a  gold  ring  given  him  by  some  one,  and 
made  a  secret  of  it,  and  Snorri  said  it  was  his  meaning  that 
Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  must  be  meant  to  defend  the  suit  at  lawr, 
and  that  the  ring  must  have  been  given  him  for  that." 

They  were  all  agreed  that  it  must  be  so.  Then  Gizur 
spoke  to  them — 

"  Now  has  Mord  Valgard's  son,  my  son-in-law,  undertaken 
a  suit,  which  all  must  think  most  hard,  to  prosecute  Flosi ;  and 
now  my  wish  is  that  ye  share  the  other  suits  amongst  you,  for 
now  it  will  soon  be  time  to  give  notice  of  the  suits  at  the  Hill 
of  Laws.    We  shall  need  also  to  ask  for  more  help." 

Asgrim  said  so  it  should  be,  "  but  we  will  beg  thee  to  go 
round  with  us  when  we  ask  for  help  ".  Gizur  said  he  would 
be  ready  to  do  that. 

After  that  Gizur  picked  out  all  the  wisest  men  of  their 
company  to  go  with  him  as  his  backers.  There  was  Hjallti 
Skeggi's  son,  and  Asgrim,  and  Kari,  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

u  Now  will  we  first  go  to  the  booth  of  Skapti  Thorod's 
son,"  and  they  do  so.  Gizur  the  white  went  first,  then 
Hjallti,  then  Kari,  then  Asgrim,  then  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and 
then  his  brothers. 

They  went  into  the  booth.  Skapti  sat  on  the  cross-bench 
on  the  dais,  and  when  he  saw  Gizur  the  white  he  rose  up  to 
meet  him,  and  greeted  him  and  all  of  them  well,  and  bade 
Gizur  to  sit  down  by  him,  and  he  does  so.  Then  Gizur  said  to 
Asgrim — 


268    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"Now  shalt  thou  first  raise  the  question  of  help  with 
Skapti,  but  I  will  throw  in  what  I  think  good/' 

"  We  are  come  hither/'  said  Asgrim,  "  for  this  sake,  Skapti, 
to  seek  help  and  aid  at  thy  hand." 

"  I  was  thought  to  be  hard  to  win  the  last  time/'  said 
Skapti,  - '  when  I  would  not  take  the  burden  of  your  trouble 
on  me." 

"  It  is  quite  another  matter  now/'  said  Gizar.  u  Now  the 
feud  is  for  master  Njal  and  mistress  Bergthora,  who  were 
burnt  in  their  own  house  without  a  cause,  and  for  Njal's  three 
sons,  and  many  other  worthy  men,  and  thou  wilt  surely  never 
be  willing  to  yield  no  help  to  men,  or  to  stand  by  thy  kinsmen 
and  connections." 

"  It  was  in  my  mind,"  answers  Skapti,  "  when  Skarphedinn 
told  me  that  I  had  myself  borne  tar  on  my  own  head,  and  cut 
up  a  sod  of  turf  and  crept  under  it,  and  when  he  said  that  I 
had  been  so  afraid  that  Thorolf  Lopt's  son  of  Eyrar  bore  me 
abroad  in  his  ship  among  his  meal-sacks,  and  so  carried  me  to 
Iceland,  that  I  would  never  share  in  the  blood  feud  for  his 
death." 

"  Now  there  is  no  need  to  bear  such  things  in  mind,"  said 
Gizur  the  white,  <c  for  he  is  dead  who  said  that,  and  thou  wilt 
surely  grant  me  this,  though  thou  wouldst  not  do  it  for  other 
men's  sake." 

"This  quarrel,"  says  Skapti,  "is  no  business  of  thine, 
except  thou  choosest  to  be  entangled  in  it  along  with 
them." 

Then  Gizur  was  very  wrath,  and  said — 

"  Thou  art  unlike  thy  father,  though  he  was  thought  not  to 
be  quite  clean-handed  ;  yet  was  he  ever  helpful  to  men  when 
they  needed  him  most." 

"  We  are  unlike  in  temper,"  said  Skapti.  "  Ye  two,  Asgrim 
and  thou,  think  that  ye  have  had  the  lead  in  mighty  deeds ; 
thou,  Gizur  the  white,  because  thou  overcamest  Gunnar  of 
Lithend ;  but  Asgrim,  for  that  he  slew  Gauk,  his  foster- 
brother." 

"  Few,"  said  Asgrim,  "  bring  forward  the  better  if  they 
know  the  worse,  but  many  would  say  that  I  slew  not  Gauk 
ere  I  was  driven  to  it.  There  is  some  excuse  for  thee  for  not 
helping  us,  but  none  for  heaping  reproaches  on  us ;  and  I  only 
wish  before  this  Thing  is  out  that  thou  mayest  get  from  this 
suit  the  greatest  disgrace,  and  that  there  may  be  none  to  make 
thy  shame  good." 


ASGRIM,  AND  GIZUR,  AND  KARL  269 

.  Then  Gizur  and  his  men  stood  up  all  of  them,  and  went 
out,  and  so  on  to  the  booth  of  Snorri  the  priest. 

Snorri  sat  on  the  cross-bench  in  his  booth ;  they  went  into 
the  booth,  and  he  knew  the  men  at  once,  and  stood  up  to 
meet  them,  and  bade  them  all  welcome,  and  made  room  for 
them  to  sit  by  him. 

After  that,  they  asked  one  another  the  news  of  the  day. 

Then  Asgrim  spoke  to  Snorri,  and  said — 

u  For  that  am  I  and  my  kinsman  Gizur  come  hither,  to  ask 
thee  for  thy  help." 

"  Thou  speakest  of  what  thou  mayest  always  be  forgiven  for 
asking,  for  help  in  the  blood-feud  after  such  connections  as 
thou  hadst.  We,  too,  got  many  wholesome  counsels  from  Njal, 
though  few  now  bear  that  in  mind  ;  but  as  yet  I  know  not  of 
what  ye  think  ye  stand  most  in  need." 

"  We  stand  most  in  need/'  answers  Asgrim,  "  of  brisk  lads 
and  good  weapons,  if  we  fight  them  here  at  the  Thing." 

"True  it  is,"  said  Snorri,  "that  much  lies  on  that,  and  it  is 
likeliest  that  ye  will  press  them  home  with  daring,  and  that 
they  will  defend  themselves  so  in  likewise,  and  neither  of  you 
will  allow  the  other's  right.  Then  ye  will  not  bear  with  them 
and  fall  on  them,  and  that  will  be  the  only  way  left  ;  for  then 
they  will  seek  to  pay  you  off  with  shame  for  manscathe,  and 
with  dishonour  for  loss  of  kin." 

It  was  easy  to  see  that  he  goaded  them  on  in  everything. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

"  Thou  speakest  well,  Snorri,  and  thou  behavest  ever  most 
like  a  chief  when  most  lies  at  stake." 

"I  wish  to  know,"  said  Asgrim,  "in  what  way  thou  wilt 
stand  by  us  if  things  turn  out  as  thou  sayest." 

"  I  will  show  thee  those  marks  of  friendship,"  said  Snorri, 
u  on  which  all  your  honour  will  hang,  but  I  will  not  go  with 
you  to  the  court.  But  if  ye  fight  here  on  the  Thing,  do  not  fall 
on  them  at  all  unless  ye  are  all  most  steadfast  and  dauntless, 
for  you  have  great  champions  against  you.  But  if  ye  are  over- 
matched, ye  must  let  yourselves  be  driven  hither  towards  us, 
for  I  shall  then  have  drawn  up  my  men  in  array  hereabouts, 
and  shall  be  ready  to  stand  by  you.  But  if  it  falls  out  other- 
wise, and  they  give  way  before  you,  my  meaning  is  that  they 
will  try  to  run  for  a  stronghold  in  the  '  Great  Rift But 
if  they  come  thither,  then  ye  will  never  get  the  better  of  them. 
Now  I  will  take  that  on  my  hands,  to  draw  up  my  men  there, 
and  guard  the  pass  to  the  stronghold,  but  we  will  not  follow 


270    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


them  whether  they  turn  north  or  south  along  the  river.  And 
when  you  have  slain  out  of  their  band  about  as  many  as  I  think 
ye  will  be  able  to  pay  blood-fines  for,  and  yet  keep  your  priest- 
hoods and  abodes,  then  I  will  run  up  with  all  my  men  and  part 
you.  Then  ye  shall  promise  to  do  as  I  bid  you,  and  stop  the 
battle,  if  I  on  my  part  do  what  I  have  now  promised." 

Gizur  thanked  him  kindly,  and  said  that  what  he  had  said 
was  just  what  they  all  needed,  and  then  they  all  went  out. 

"  Whither  shall  we  go  now  ?  "  said  Gizur. 

"  To  the  Northlanders'  booth,"  said  Asgrim. 

Then  they  fared  thither. 


CHAPTER  CXXXIX. 

OF  ASGRIM  AND  GUDMUND. 

And  when  they  came  into  the  booth  then  they  saw  where 
Gudmund  the  powerful  sate  and  talked  with  Einer  ConaFs  son, 
his  foster-child ;  he  was  a  wise  man. 

Then  they  come  before  him,  and  Gudmund  welcomed  them 
very  heartily,  and  made  them  clear  the  booth  for  them,  that 
they  might  all  be  able  to  sit  down. 

Then  they  asked  what  tidings,  and  Asgrim  said — 

"  There  is  no  need  to  mutter  what  I  have  to  say.  We  wish, 
Gudmund,  to  ask  for  thy  steadfast  help." 

"  Have  ye  seen  any  other  chiefs  before  ? "  said  Gudmund. 

They  said  they  had  been  to  see  Skapti  Thorod's  son  and 
Snorri  the  priest,  and  told  him  quietly  how  they  had  fared  with 
each  of  them. 

Then  Gudmund  said — 

"  Last  time  I  behaved  badly  and  meanly  to  you.  Then  I 
was  stubborn,  but  now  ye  shall  drive  your  bargain  with  me  all 
the  more  quickly  because  I  was  more  stubborn  then,  and  now 
I  will  go  myself  with  you  to  the  court  with  all  my  Thingmen, 
and  stand  by  you  in  all  such  things  as  I  can,  and  fight  for  you 
though  this  be  needed,  and  lay  down  my  life  for  your  lives.  I 
will  also  pay  Skapti  out  in  this  way,  that  Thorstein  gapemouth 
his  son  shall  be  in  the  battle  on  our  side,  for  he  will  not  dare 
to  do  aught  else  than  I  will,  since  he  has  Jodisa  my  daughter 
to  wife,  and  then  Skapti  will  try  to  part  us." 


THE  DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  SUITS.  271 


They  thanked  him,  and  talked  with  him  long  and  low  after- 
wards, so  that  no  other  men  could  hear. 

Then  Gudmund  bade  them  not  to  go  before  the  knees  of 
any  other  chiefs,  for  he  said  that  would  be  little-hearted. 

"  We  will  now  run  the  risk  with  the  force  that  we  have. 
Ye  must  go  with  your  weapons  to  all  law-business,  but  not  fight 
as  things  stand." 

Then  they  went  all  of  them  home  to  their  booths,  and  all 
this  was  at  first  with  few  men's  knowledge. 

So  now  the  Thing  goes  on. 


CHAPTER  CXL. 

OF  THE  DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  SUITS. 

It  was  one  day  that  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  the 
chiefs  were  so  placed  that  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  Gizur 
the  white,  and  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and  Snorri  the  priest, 
were  on  the  upper  hand  by  the  Hill  of  Laws ;  but  the  East- 
firthers  stood  down  below. 

Mord  Valgard's  son  stood  next  to  Gizur  his  father-in-law; 
he  was  of  all  men  the  readiest-tongued. 

Gizur  told  him  that  he  ought  to  give  notice  of  the  suit  for 
manslaughter,  and  bade  him  speak  up,  so  that  all  might  hear 
him  well. 

Then  Mord  took  witness  and  said — "  I  take  witness  to  this 
that  I  give  notice  of  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  against  Flosi 
Thord's  son,  for  that  he  rushed  at  Helgi  NjaFs  son  and  dealt 
him  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a 
death -wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his  death.  I  say  that 
in  this  suit  he  ought  to  be  made  a  guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not 
to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not  to  be  helped  or  harboured 
in  any  need.  I  say  that  all  his  goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me, 
and  half  to  the  men  of  the  Quarter,  who  have  a  right  by  law 
to  take  his  forfeited  goods.  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  for  man- 
slaughter in  the  Quarter  Court  into  which  this  suit  ought  by 
law  to  come.  I  give  notice  of  this  lawful  notice  ;  I  give  notice 
in  the  hearing  of  all  men  on  the  Hill  of  Laws ;  I  give  notice 
of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry 


272    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


against  Flosi  Thord's  son  ;  I  give  notice  of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son  has  handed  over  to  me," 

Then  a  great  shout  was  uttered  at  the  Hill  of  Laws,  that 
Mord  spoke  well  and  boldly. 

Then  Mord  began  to  speak  a  second  time. 

"  I  take  you  to  witness  to  this/'  says  he,  "  that  I  give 
notice  of  a  suit  against  Flosi  Thord's  son.  I  give  notice  for 
that  he  wounded  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or 
a  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a  death-wound,  and  from  which 
Helgi  got  his  death  on  that  spot  where  Flosi  Thord's  son  had 
first  rushed  on  Helgi  NjaFs  son  with  an  assault  laid  down  by 
law.  I  say  that  thou,  Flosi,  ought  to  be  made  in  this  suit  a 
guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not 
to  be  helped  or  harboured  in  any  need.  I  say  that  all  thy 
goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men  of  the 
Quarter,  who  have  a  right  by  law  to  take  the  goods  which 
have  been  forfeited  by  thee.  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  in  the 
Quarter  Court  into  which  it  ought  by  law  to  come  ;  I  give 
notice  of  this  lawful  notice  ;  I  give  notice  of  it  in  the  hearing 
of  all  men  on  the  Hill  of  Laws  ;  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  to  be 
pleaded  this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry  against  Flosi  Thord's 
son.  I  give  notice  of  the  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  hath 
handed  over  to  me." 

After  that  Mord  sat  him  down. 

Flosi  listened  carefully,  but  said  never  a  word  the  while. 

Then  Thorgeir  Craggeir  stood  up  and  took  witness,  and 
said — u  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  give  notice  of  a  suit 
against  Glum  Hilldir's  son,  in  that  he  took  firing  and  lit  it, 
and  bore  it  to  the  house  at  Bergthorsknoll,  when  they  were 
burned  inside  it,  to  wit,  Njal  Thorgeir' s  son,  and  Bergthora 
Skarphedinn's  daughter,  and  all  those  other  men  who  were 
burned  inside  it  there  and  then.  I  say  that  in  this  suit  he 
ought  to  be  made  a  guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not 
to  be  forwarded,  not  to  be  helped  or  harboured  in  any  need. 
I  say  that  all  his  goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me,  and  half  to 
the  men  of  the  Quarter,  who  have  a  right  by  law  to  take  his 
forfeited  goods  ;  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  in  the  Quarter  Court 
into  which  it  ought  by  law  to  come.  I  give  notice  in  the 
hearing  of  all  men  on  the  Hill  of  Laws.  I  give  notice  of  this 
suit  to  be  pleaded  this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry  against 
Glum  Hilldir's  son." 

Kari  Solmund's  son  declared  his  suits  against  Kol  Thor- 
stein's  son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Grani  Gunnar's  son, 


THE  DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  SUITS.  273 


and  it  was  the  common  talk  of  men  that  he  spoke  wondrous 
well. 

Thorleif  crow  declared  his  suit  against  all  the  sons  of  Sigfus, 
but  Thorgrim  the  big,  his  brother,  against  Modolf  Kettle's  son, 
and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Hroar  Hamond's  son,  brother  of 
Leidolf  the  strong. 

Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  declared  his  suit  against  Leidolf 
and  Thorstein  Geirleif's  son,  Ami  Kol's  son,  and  Grim  the 
red. 

And  they  all  spoke  well. 

After  that  other  men  gave  notice  of  their  suits,  and  it  was 
far  on  in  the  day  that  it  went  on  so. 

Then  men  fared  home  to  their  booths. 

Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  went  to  his  booth  with  Flosi ;  they 
passed  east  around  the  booth,  and  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf — 
"  See'st  thou  any  defence  in  these  suits  ?  " 
"None,"  says  Eyjolf. 

"What  counsel  is  now  to  be  taken  ?"  says  Flosi. 

"  I  will  give  thee  a  piece  of  advice/'  said  Eyjolf.  "  Now 
thou  shalt  hand  over  thy  priesthood  to  thy  brother  Thorgeir, 
but  declare  that  thou  hast  joined  the  Thing  of  Askel  the  priest 
the  son  of  Thorkettle,  north  away  in  Reykiardale  ;  but  if  they 
do  not  know  this,  then  may  be  that  this  will  harm  them,  for 
they  will  be  sure  to  plead  their  suit  in  the  Eastfirther's  court, 
but  they  ought  to  plead  it  in  the  Northlanders'  court,  and 
they  will  overlook  that,  and  it  is  a  Fifth  Court  matter  against 
them  if  they  plead  their  suit  in  another  court  than  that  in 
which  they  ought,  and  then  we  will  take  that  suit  up,  but  not 
until  we  have  no  other  choice  left." 

"  May  be,"  said  Flosi,  "  that  we  shall  get  the  worth  of  the 
ring." 

"I  don't  know  that,"  says  Eyjolf;  "but  I  will  stand  by 
thee  at  law,  so  that  men  shall  say  that  there  never  was  a 
better  defence.  Now,  we  must'  send  for  Askel,  but  Thorgeir 
shall  come  to  thee  at  once,  and  a  man  with  him." 

A  little  while  after  Thorgeir  came,  and  then  he  took  on 
him  Flosi's  leadership  and  priesthood. 

By  that  time  Askel  was  come  thither  too,  and  then  Flosi 
declared  that  he  had  joined  his  Thing,  and  this  was  with  no 
man's  knowledge  save  theirs. 

Now  all  is  quiet  till  the  day  when  the  courts  were  to  go 
out  to  try  suits. 


18 


274    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CXLI. 

NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS. 

Now  the  time  passes  away  till  the  courts  were  to  go  out  to 
try  suits.    Both  sides  then  made  them  ready  to  go  thither, 
and  armed  them.    Each  side  put  war-tokens  on  their  helmets. 
Then  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son  said — 

"  Walk  hastily  in  nothing,  father  mine,  and  do  everything 
as  lawfully  and  rightly  as  ye  can,  but  if  ye  fall  into  any  strait 
let  me  know  as  quickly  as  ye  can,  and  then  I  will  give  you 
counsel." 

Asgrim  and  the  others  looked  at  him,  and  his  face  was  as 
though  it  were  all  blood,  but  great  teardrops  gushed  out  of 
his  eyes.  He  bade  them  bring  him  his  spear,  that  had  been 
a  gift  to  him  from  Skarphedinn,  and  it  was  the  greatest 
treasure. 

Asgrim  said  as  they  went  away — 

"  Our  kinsman  Thorhall  was  not  easy  in  his  mind  as  we 
left  him  behind  in  the  booth,  and  I  know  not  what  he  will 
be  at." 

Then  Asgrim  said  again — 

"Now  we  will  go  to  Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  think  of 
naught  else  but  the  suit,  for  there  is  more  sport  in  Flosi  than 
in  very  many  other  men." 

Then  Asgrim  sent  a  man  to  Gizur  the  white,  and  Hjallti 
Skeggi's  son,  and  Gudmund  the  powerful.  Now  they  all 
came  together,  and  went  straight  to  the  court  of  Eastfirthers. 
They  went  to  the  court  from  the  south,  but  Flosi  and  all  the 
Eastfirthers  with  him  went  to  it  from  the  north.  There  were 
also  the  men  of  Reykdale  and  the  Axefirthers  with  Flosi. 
There,  too,  was  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son.  Flosi  looked  at  Eyjolf, 
and  said — 

"  All  now  goes  fairly,  and  may  be  that  it  will  not  be  far  off 
from  thy  guess." 

"Keep  thy  peace  about  it,"  says  Eyjolf,  "and  then  we 
shall  be  sure  to  gain  our  point." 

Now  Mord  took  witness,  and  bade  all  those  men  who  had 
suits  of  outlawry  before  the  court  to  cast  lots  who  should  first 
plead  or  declare  his  suit,  and  who  next,  and  who  last ;  he  bade 
them  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS.  275 


heard  it.  Then  lots  were  cast  as  to  the  declarations,  and  he, 
Mord,  drew  the  lot  to  declare  his  suit  first. 

Now  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness  the  second  time, 
and  said — 

"  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  except  all  mistakes  in  words 
in  my  pleading,  whether  they  be  too  many  or  wrongly  spoken, 
and  I  claim  the  right  to  amend  all  my  words  until  I  have  put 
them  into  proper  lawful  shape.  I  take  witness  to  myself  of 
this." 

Again  Mord  said — 

"  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  bid  Flosi  Thord's  son,  or  any 
other  man  who  has  undertaken  the  defence  made  over  to  him 
by  Flosi,  to  listen  for  him  to  my  oath,  and  to  my  declaration 
of  my  suit,  and  to  all  the  proofs  and  proceedings  which  I  am 
about  to  bring  forward  against  him  ;  I  bid  him  by  a  lawful 
bidding  before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges  may  hear  it  across 
the  court." 

Again  Mord  Valgard's  son  said — 

"  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  take  an  oath  on  the  book,  a 
lawful  oath,  and  I  say  it  before  God,  that  I  will  so  plead  this 
suit  in  the  most  truthful,  and  most  just,  and  most  lawful  way, 
so  far  as  I  know  ;  and  that  I  will  bring  forward  all  my  proofs 
in  due  form,  and  utter  them  faithfully  so  long  as  I  am  in  this 
suit." 

After  that  he  spoke  in  these  words — 

"  I  have  called  Thorodd  as  my  first  witness,  and  Thorbjorn 
as  my  second  ;  I  have  called  them  to  bear  witness  that  I  gave 
notice  of  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  against  Flosi  Thord's  son, 
on  that  spot  where  he,  Flosi  Thord's  son,  rushed  with  an  assault 
laid  down  by  law  on  Helgi  Njal's  son,  when  Flosi  Thord's  son, 
wounded  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow 
wound,  which  proved  a  death- wound,  and  from  which  Helgi 
got  his  death.  I  said  that  he  ought  to  be  made  in  this  suit  a 
guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not 
to  be  helped  or  harboured  in  any  need ;  I  said  that  all  his 
goods  were  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men  of  the 
Quarter  who  have  the  right  by  law  to  take  the  goods  which  he 
1  as  forfeited ;  I  gave  notice  of  the  suit  in  the  Quarter  Court 
into  which  the  suit  ought  by  law  to  come  ;  I  gave  notice  of 
that  lawful  notice  ;  I  gave  notice  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at 
the  Hill  of  Laws  ;  I  gave  notice  of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  now 
this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry  against  Flosi  Thord's  son. 
I  gave  notice  of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  had  handed 


276    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


over  to  me  ;  and  I  had  all  these  words  in  my  notice  which  I 
have  now  used  in  this  declaration  of  my  suit.  I  now  declare 
this  suit  of  outlawry  in  this  shape  before  the  court  of  the  East- 
firthers  over  the  head  of  John,  as  I  uttered  it  when  I  gave 
notice  of  it." 

Then  Mord  spoke  again — 

"  I  have  called  Thorodd  as  my  first  witness,  and  Thorbjorn 
as  my  second.  I  have  called  them  to  bear  witness  that  I  gave 
notice  of  a  suit  against  Flosi  Thord's  son  for  that  he  wounded 
Helgi  Njal's  son  with  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound, 
which  proved  a  death-wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his 
death.  I  said  that  he  ought  to  be  made  in  this  suit  a  guilty 
man,  an  outlaw,  not  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not  to  be 
helped  or  harboured  in  any  need ;  1  said  that  all  his  goods 
were  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men  of  the  Quarter 
who  have  the  right  by  law  to  take  the  goods  which  he  has 
forfeited  ;  I  gave  notice  of  the  suit  in  the  Quarter  Court  into 
which  the  suit  ought  by  law  to  come ;  I  gave  notice  of  that 
lawful  notice  ;  I  gave  notice  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws  ;  I  gave  notice  of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  now 
this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry  against  Flosi  Thord's  son. 
I  gave  notice  of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  had  handed 
over  to  me ;  and  I  had  all  these  words  in  my  notice  which  I 
have  now  used  in  this  declaration  of  my  suit.  I  now  declare 
this  suit  of  outlawry  in  this  shape  before  the  court  of  the 
Eastfirthers  over  the  head  of  John,  as  I  uttered  it  when  I 
gave  notice  of  it." 

Then  Mord's  witnesses  to  the  notice  came  before  the  court, 
and  spake  so  that  one  uttered  their  witness,  but  both  confirmed 
it  by  their  common  consent  in  this  form,  "  I  bear  witness  that 
Mord  called  Thorodd  as  his  first  witness,  and  me  as  his  second, 
and  my  name  is  Thorbjorn" — then  he  named  his  father's 
name — "  Mord  called  us  two  as  his  witnesses  that  he  gave 
notice  of  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  against  Flosi  Thord's 
son  when  he  rushed  on  Helgi  Njal's  son,  in  that  spot  where 
Flosi  Thord's  son  dealt  Helgi  Njal's  son  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or 
a  marrow  wound,  that  proved  a  death-wound,  and  from  which 
Helgi  got  his  death.  He  said  that  Flosi  ought  to  be  made 
in  this  suit  a  guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be 
forwarded,  not  to  be  helped  or  harboured  by  any  man ;  he 
said  that  all  his  goods  were  forfeited,  half  to  himself  and  half 
to  the  men  of  the  Quarter  who  have  the  right  by  law  to  take 
the  goods  which  he  had  forfeited ;  he  gave  notice  of  the  suit 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS.  277 


in  the  Quarter  Court  into  which  the  suit  ought  by  law  to  come  ; 
he  gave  notice  of  that  lawful  notice  ;  he  gave  notice  in  the 
hearing  of  all  men  at  the  Hill  of  Laws  ;  he  gave  notice  of  this 
suit  to  be  pleaded  now  this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry 
against  Flosi  Thord's  son.  He  gave  notice  of  a  suit  which 
Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  had  handed  over  to  him.  He  used  all 
those  words  in  his  notice  which  he  used  in  the  declaration  of 
his  suit,  and  which  we  have  used  in  bearing  witness  ;  we  have 
now  borne  our  witness  rightly  and  lawfully,  and  we  are  agreed 
in  bearing  it ;  we  bear  this  witness  in  this  shape  before  the 
Eastfirthers'  Court  over  the  head  of  John,1  as  Mord  uttered  it 
when  he  gave  his  notice." 

A  second  time  they  bore  their  witness  of  the  notice  before 
the  court,  and  put  the  wounds  first  and  the  assault  last,  and 
used  all  the  same  words  as  before,  and  bore  their  witness  in 
this  shape  before  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  just  as  Mord  uttered 
them  when  he  gave  his  notice. 

Then  Mord's  witnesses  to  the  handing  over  of  the  suit 
went  before  the  court,  and  one  uttered  their  witness,  and 
both  confirmed  it  by  common  consent,  and  spoke  in  these 
words — "That  those  two,  Mord  Valgard's  son  and  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son,  took  them  to  witness  that  Thorgeir  Thorir's 
son  handed  over  a  suit  for  manslaughter  to  Mord  Valgard's 
son  against  Flosi  Thord's  son  for  the  slaying  of  Helgi  Njal's 
son ;  he  handed  over  to  him  then  the  suit,  with  all  the  proofs 
and  proceedings  which  belonged  to  the  suit,  he  handed  it 
over  to  him  to  plead  and  to  settle,  and  to  make  use  of  all 
rights  as  though  he  were  the  rightful  next  of  kin  ;  Thorgeir 
handed  it  over  lawfully,  and  Mord  took  it  lawfully ". 

They  bore  this  witness  of  the  handing  over  of  the  suit 
in  this  shape  before  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  over  the  head  of 
John,  just  as  Mord  or  Thorgeir  had  called  them  as  witnesses 
to  prove. 

They  made  all  these  witnesses  swear  an  oath  ere  they  bore 
witness,  and  the  judges  too. 

Again  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness  to  this,"  said  he,  "that  I  bid  those  nine 
neighbours  whom  I  summoned  when  I  laid  this  suit  against 
Flosi  Thord's  son,  to  take  their  seats  west  on  the  river-bank, 
and  I  call  on  the  defendant  to  challenge  this  inquest,  I  call 

1  John  for  a  man,  and  Gudruna  for  a  woman,  were  standing  names  in  the 
Formularies  of  the  Icelandic  code,  answering  to  the  "MorN"  in  our  Liturgy, 
or  to  those  famous  fictions  of  English  Law,  "  John  Doe  and  Richard  Roe 


278    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


on  him  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court  so  that  the  judges 
may  hear." 

Again  Mord  took  witness. 

"  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  bid  Flosi  Thord's  son,  or 
that  other  man  who  has  the  defence  handed  over  to  him,  to 
challenge  the  inquest  which  I  have  caused  to  take  their  seats 
west  on  the  river-bank.  I  bid  thee  by  a  lawful  bidding  before 
the  court  so  that  the  judges  may  hear." 

Again  Mord  took  witness. 

H  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  now  are  all  the  first  steps  and 
proofs  brought  forward  which  belong  to  the  suit.  Summons 
to  hear  my  oath,  oath  taken,  suit  declared,  witness  borne  to 
the  notice,  witness  borne  to  the  handing  over  of  the  suit,  the 
neighbours  on  the  inquest  bidden  to  take  their  seats,  and  the 
defendant  bidden  to  challenge  the  inquest.  I  take  this  witness 
to  these  steps  and  proofs  which  are  now  brought  forward,  and 
also  to  this  that  I  shall  not  be  thought  to  have  left  the  suit 
though  I  go  away  from  the  court  to  look  up  proofs,  or  on  other 
business." 

Now  Flosi  and  his  men  went  thither  where  the  neighbours 
on  the  inquest  sate. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"The  sons  of  Sigfus  must  know  best  whether  these  are 
the  rightful  neighbours  to  the  spot  who  are  here  summoned." 
Kettle  of  the  Mark  answered — 

"  Here  is  that  neighbour  who  held  Mord  at  the  font  when 
he  was  baptised,  but  another  is  his  second  cousin  by  kinship. 

Then  they  reckoned  up  his  kinship,  and  proved  it  with  an 
oath. 

Then  Eyjolf  took  witness  that  the  inquest  should  do 
nothing  till  it  was  challenged. 

A  second  time  Eyjolf  took  witness — 

"  I  take  witness  to  this,"  said  he,  "  that  I  challenge  both 
these  men  out  of  the  inquest,  and  set  them  aside  " — here  he 
named  them  by  name,  and  their  fathers  as  well — "  for  this 
sake,  that  one  of  them  is  Mord's  second  cousin  by  kinship, 
but  the  other  for  gossipry,1  for  which  sake  it  is  lawful  to 
challenge  a  neighbour  on  the  inquest ;  ye  two  are  for  a  lawful 
reason  incapable  of  uttering  a  finding,  for  now  a  lawful  challenge 
has  overtaken  you,  therefore  I  challenge  and  set  you  aside  by 

1  "  Gossipry,"  that  is,  because  they  were  gossips,  God's  sib,  relations  by 
baptism. 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS.  279 


the  rightful  custom  of  pleading  at  the  Althing,  and  by  the  law 
of  the  land ;  I  challenge  you  in  the  cause  which  Flosi  Thord's 
son  has  handed  over  to  rae." 

Now  all  the  people  spoke  out,  and  said  that  Mord's  suit 
had  come  to  naught,  and  all  were  agreed  in  this  that  the 
defence  was  better  than  the  prosecution. 

Then  Asgrim  said  to  Mord — 

"The  day  is  not  yet  their  own,  though  they  think  now 
that  they  have  gained  a  great  step ;  but  now  some  one  shall 
go  to  see  Thorhall  my  son,  and  know  what  advice  he  gives  us." 

Then  a  trusty  messenger  was  sent  to  Thorhall,  and  told  him 
as  plainly  as  he  could  how  far  the  suit  had  gone,  and  how  Flosi 
and  his  men  thought  they  had  brought  the  finding  of  the 
inquest  to  a  dead  lock. 

"1  will  so  make  it  out,"  says  Thorhall,  "that  this  shall  not 
cause  you  to  lose  the  suit ;  and  tell  them  not  to  believe  it, 
though  quirks  and  quibbles  be  brought  against  them,  for  that 
wiseacre  Eyjolf  has  now  overlooked  something.  But  now  thou 
shalt  go  back  as  quickly  as  thou  canst,  and  say  that  Mord 
Valgard's  son  must  go  before  the  court,  and  take  witness  that 
their  challenge  has  come  to  naught,"  and  then  he  told  him 
step  by  step  how  they  must  proceed. 

The  messenger  came  and  told  them  Thorhall's  advice. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  went  to  the  court  and  took 
witness.  "I  take  witness  to  this,"  said  he,  "that  I  make 
Eyjolf  s  challenge  void  and  of  none  effect ;  and  my  ground  is, 
that  he  challenged  them  not  for  their  kinship  to  the  true 
plaintiff,  the  next  of  kin,  but  for  their  kinship  to  him  who 
pleaded  the  suit ;  I  take  this  witness  to  myself,  and  to  all 
those  to  whom  this  witness  will  be  of  use." 

After  that  he  brought  that  witness  before  the  court. 

Now  he  went  whither  the  neighbours  sate  on  the  inquest, 
and  bade  those  to  sit  down  again  who  had  risen  up,  and  said 
they  were  rightly  called  on  to  share  in  the  finding  of  the 
inquest. 

Then  all  said  that  Thorhall  had  done  great  things,  and 
all  thought  the  prosecution  better  than  the  defence. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf — "Thinkest  thou  that  this  is 
good  law  ?  " 

u  I  think  so,  surely,"  he  says,  "  and  beyond  a  doubt  we 
overlooked  this ;  but  still  we  will  have  another  trial  of  strength 
with  them." 

Then  Eyjolf  took  witness.    "  I  take  witness  to  this,"  said 


280    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


he,  "  that  I  challenge  these  two  men  out  of  the  inquest "— - 
here  he  named  them  both — "for  that  sake  that  they  are 
lodgers,  but  not  householders  ;  I  do  not  allow  you  two  to  sit 
on  the  inquest,  for  now  a  lawful  challenge  has  overtaken  you  ; 
I  challenge  you  both  and  set  you  aside  out  of  the  inquest,  by 
the  rightful  custom  of  the  Althing  and  by  the  law  of  the 
land." 

Now  Eyjolf  said  he  was  much  mistaken  if  that  could  be 
shaken  ;  and  then  all  said  that  the  defence  was  better  than 
the  prosecution. 

Now  all  men  praised  Eyjolf,  and  said  there  was  never  a 
man  who  could  cope  with  him  in  lawcraft. 

Mord  Valgard's  son  and  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  now  sent 
a  man  to  Thorhall  to  tell  him  how  things  stood  ;  but  when 
Thorhall  heard  that,  he  asked  what  goods  they  owned,  or  if 
they  were  paupers  ? 

The  messenger  said  that  one  gained  his  livelihood  by  keep- 
ing milch-kine,  and  "  he  has  both  cows  and  ewes  at  his  abode  ; 
but  the  other  has  a  third  of  the  land  which  he  and  the 
freeholder  farm,  and  finds  his  own  food ;  and  they  have  one 
hearth  between  them,  he  and  the  man  who  lets  the  land,  and 
one  shepherd 

Then  Thorhall  said — 

"  They  will  fare  now  as  before,  for  they  must  have  made  a 
mistake,  and  I  will  soon  upset  their  challenge,  and  this  though 
Eyjolf  had  used  such  big  words  that  it  was  law." 

Now  Thorhall  told  the  messenger  plainly,  step  by  step, 
how  they  must  proceed ;  and  the  messenger  came  back  and 
told  Mord  and  Asgrim  all  the  counsel  that  Thorhall  had  given. 

Then  Mord  went  to  the  court  and  took  witness.  u  I  take 
witness  to  this,  that  I  bring  to  naught  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son's 
challenge,  for  that  he  has  challenged  those  men  out  of  the 
inquest  who  have  a  lawful  right  to  be  there  ;  every  man  has 
a  right  to  sit  on  an  inquest  of  neighbours,  who  owns  three 
hundreds  in  land  or  more,  though  he  may  have  no  dairy-stock  ; 
and  he  too  has  the  same  right  who  lives  by  dairy-stock  worth 
the  same  sum,  though  he  leases  no  land." 

Then  he  brought  this  witness  before  the  court,  and  then 
he  went  whither  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  were,  and 
bade  them  sit  down,  and  said  they  were  rightfully  among  the 
inquest. 

Then  there  was  a  great  shout  and  cry,  and  then  all  men 
said  that  Flosfs  and  Eyjolf  s  cause  was  much  shaken,  and  now 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS.  281 


men  were  of  one  mind  as  to  this,  that  the  prosecution  was 
better  than  the  defence. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf — 

"  Can  this  be  law  ? " 

Eyjolf  said  he  had  not  wisdom  enough  to  know  that  for  a 
surety,  and  then  they  sent  a  man  to  Skapti,  the  Speaker  of  the 
Law,  to  ask  whether  it  were  good  law,  and  he  sent  them  back 
word  that  it  was  surely  good  law,  though  few  knew  it. 

Then  this  was  told  to  Flosi,  and  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  asked 
the  sons  of  Sigfus  as  to  the  other  neighbours  who  were  sum- 
moned thither. 

They  said  there  were  four  of  them  who  were  wrongly 
summoned ;  "  for  those  sit  now  at  home  who  were  nearer 
neighbours  to  the  spot 

Then  Eyjolf  took  witness  that  he  challenged  all  those  four 
men  out  of  the  inquest,  and  that  he  did  it  with  lawful  form  of 
challenge.    After  that  he  said  to  the  neighbours — 

"Ye  are  bound  to  render  lawful  justice  to  both  sides,  and 
now  ye  shall  go  before  the  court  when  ye  are  called,  and  take 
witness  that  ye  find  that  bar  to  uttering  your  finding ;  that  ye 
are  but  five  summoned  to  utter  your  finding,  but  that  ye  ought 
to  be  nine  ;  and  now  Thorhall  may  prove  and  carry  his  point 
in  every  suit,  if  he  can  cure  this  flaw  in  this  suit/' 

And  now  it  was  plain  in  everything  that  Flosi  and  Eyjolf 
were  very  boastful  ;  and  there  was  a  great  cry  that  now  the 
suit  for  the  Burning  was  quashed,  and  that  again  the  defence 
was  better  than  the  prosecution. 

Then  Asgrim  spoke  to  Mord — 

"  They  know  not  yet  of  what  to  boast  ere  we  have  seen  my 
son  Thorhall.  Njal  told  me  that  he  had  so  taught  Thorhall 
law,  that  he  would  turn  out  the  best  lawyer  in  Iceland  when- 
ever it  were  put  to  the  proof/' 

Then  a  man  was  sent  to  Thorhall  to  tell  him  how  things 
stood,  and  of  Flosi's  and  Eyjolf s  boasting,  and  the  cry  of  the 
people  that  the  suit  for  the  Burning  was  quashed  in  Mord's 
hands. 

"  It  will  be  well  for  them/'  says  Thorhall,  "  if  they  get  not 
disgrace  from  this.  Thou  shalt  go  and  tell  Mord  to  take 
witness,  and  swear  an  oath,  that  the  greater  part  of  the  inquest 
is  rightly  summoned,  and  then  he  shall  bring  that  witness  before 
the  court,  and  then  he  may  set  the  prosecution  on  its  feet 
again  ;  but  he  will  have  to  pay  a  fine  of  three  marks  for  every 
man  that  he  has  wrongly  summoned ;   but  he  may  not  be 


282    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


prosecuted  for  that  at  this  Thing ;  and  now  thou  shalt  go 
back." 

He  does  so,  and  told  Mord  and  Asgrim  all,  word  for  word, 
that  Thorhall  had  said. 

Then  Mord  went  to  the  court,  and  took  witness,  and  swore 
an  oath  that  the  greater  part  of  the  inquest  was  rightly  sum- 
moned, and  said  then  that  he  had  set  the  prosecution  on  its 
feet  again,  and  then  he  went  on,  "and  so  our  foes  shall  have 
honour  from  something  else  than  from  this,  that  we  have  here 
taken  a  great  false  step 

Then  there  was  a  great  roar  that  Mord  handled  the  suit 
well ;  but  it  was  said  that  Flosi  and  his  men  betook  them  only 
to  quibbling  and  wrong. 

Flosi  asked  Eyjolf  if  this  could  be  good  law,  but  he  said 
he  could  not  surely  tell,  but  said  the  Lawman  must  settle  this 
knotty  point. 

Then  Thorkel  Geiti's  son  went  on  their  behalf  to  tell  the 
Lawman  how  things  stood,  and  asked  whether  this  were  good 
law  that  Mord  had  said. 

"  More  men  are  great  lawyers  now,"  says  Skapti,  "than  I 
thought.  I  must  tell  thee,  then,  that  this  is  such  good  law  in 
all  points,  that  there  is  not  a  word  to  say  against  it ;  but  still  I 
thought  that  I  alone  would  know  this,  now  that  Njal  was  dead, 
for  he  was  the  only  man  I  ever  knew  who  knew  it." 

Then  Thorkel  went  back  to  Flosi  and  Eyjolf,  and  said  that 
this  was  good  law. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  went  to  the  court  and  took 
witness.  "  I  take  witness  to  this,"  he  said,  "  that  I  bid  those 
neighbours  on  the  inquest  in  the  suit  which  I  set  on  foot  against 
Flosi  Thord's  son  now  to  utter  their  finding,  and  to  find  it 
either  against  him  or  for  him  ;  I  bid  them  by  a  lawful  bidding 
before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges  may  hear  it  across  the 
court." 

Then  the  neighbours  on  Mord's  inquest  went  to  the  court, 
and  one  uttered  their  finding,  but  all  confirmed  it  by  their 
consent ;  and  they  spoke  thus,  word  for  word — 

"  Mord  Valgard's  son  summoned  nine  of  us  thanes  on  this 
inquest,  but  here  we  stand  five  of  us,  but  four  have  been 
challenged  and  set  aside,  and  now  witness  has  been  borne  as 
to  the  absence  of  the  four  who  ought  to  have  uttered  this 
finding  along  with  us,  and  now  we  are  bound  by  law  to  utter 
our  finding.  We  were  summoned  to  bear  this  witness,  whether 
Flosi  Thord's  son  rushed  with  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  on 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS.  283 


Helgi  Njal's  son,  on  that  spot  where  Flosi  Thord's  son  wounded 
Helgi  Njal's  son  with  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound, 
which  proved  a  death  wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his 
death.  He  summoned  us  to  utter  all  those  words  which  it 
was  lawful  for  us  to  utter,  and  which  he  should  call  on  us  to 
answer  before  the  court,  and  which  belong  to  this  suit ;  he 
summoned  us,  so  that  we  heard  what  he  said  ;  he  summoned  us 
in  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  had  handed  over  to  him, 
and  now  we  have  all  sworn  an  oath,  and  found  our  lawful 
finding,  and  are  all  agreed,  and  we  utter  our  finding  against 
Flosi,  and  we  say  that  he  is  truly  guilty  in  this  suit.  We  nine 
men  on  this  inquest  of  neighbours  so  shapen,  utter  this  our 
finding  before  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  over  the  head  of  John, 
as  Mord  summoned  us  to  do  ;  but  this  is  the  finding  of  all  of 
us." 

Again  a  second  time  they  uttered  their  finding  against 
Flosi,  and  uttered  it  first  about  the  wounds,  and  last  about  the 
assault,  but  all  their  other  words  they  uttered  just  as  they  had 
before  uttered  their  finding  against  Flosi,  and  brought  him  in 
truly  guilty  in  the  suit. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  went  before  the  court,  and  took 
witness  that  those  neighbours  whom  he  had  summoned  in  the 
suit  which  he  had  set  on  foot  against  Flosi  Thord's  son  had 
now  uttered  their  finding,  and  brought  him  in  truly  guilty  in 
the  suit ;  he  took  witness  to  this  for  his  own  part,  or  for  those 
who  might  wish  to  make  use  of  this  witness. 

Again  a  second  time  Mord  took  witness  and  said — 

"I  take  witness  to  this  that  I  call  on  Flosi,  or  that  man 
who  has  to  undertake  the  lawful  defence  which  he  has  handed 
over  to  him,  to  begin  his  defence  to  this  suit  which  I  have  set 
on  foot  against  him,  for  now  all  the  steps  and  proofs  have  been 
brought  forward  which  belong  by  law  to  this  suit ;  all  witness 
borne,  the  finding  of  the  inquest  uttered  and  brought  in, 
witness  taken  to  the  finding,  and  to  all  the  steps  which  have 
gone  before  ;  but  if  any  such  thing  arises  in  their  lawful  defence 
which  I  need  to  turn  into  a  suit  against  them,  then  I  claim  the 
right  to  set  that  suit  on  foot  against  them.  1  bid  this  my 
lawful  bidding  before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges  may  hear." 

"  It  gladdens  me  now,  Eyjolf,"  said  Flosi,  "  in  my  heart  to 
think  what  a  wry  face  they  will  make,  and  how  their  pates 
will  tingle  when  thou  bringest  forward  our  defence." 


284    THE  STOEY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CXLII. 

OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON. 

Then  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  went  before  the  court,  and  took 
witness  to  this — 

"  I  take  witness  that  this  is  a  lawful  defence  in  this  cause, 
that  ye  have  pleaded  the  suit  in  the  Eastfirthers'  Court,  when 
ye  ought  to  have  pleaded  it  in  the  Northlanders'  Court ;  for 
Flosi  has  declared  himself  one  of  the  Thingmen  of  Askel  the 
priest ;  and  here  now  are  those  two  witnesses  who  were  by, 
and  who  will  bear  witness  that  Flosi  handed  over  his  priesthood 
to  his  brother  Thorgeir,  but  afterwards  declared  himself  one  of 
Askel  the  priest's  Thingmen.  I  take  witness  to  this  for  my 
own  part,  and  for  those  who  may  need  to  make  use  of  it." 

Again  Eyjolf  took  witness — "1  take  witness,"  he  said,  "to 
this,  that  I  bid  Mord  who  pleads  this  suit,  or  the  next  of  kin, 
to  listen  to  my  oath,  and  to  my  declaration  of  the  defence 
which  I  am  about  to  bring  forward  ;  I  bid  him  by  a  lawful 
bidding  before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges  may  hear  me 

Again  Eyjolf  took  witness — 

"  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  swear  an  oath  on  the  book, 
a  lawful  oath,  and  say  it  before  God,  that  I  will  so  defend  this 
cause,  in  the  most  truthful,  and  most  just,  and  most  lawful 
way,  so  far  as  I  know,  and  so  fulfil  all  lawful  duties  which 
belong  to  me  at  this  Thing." 

Then  Eyjolf  said — 

"  These  two  men  I  take  to  witness  that  I  bring  forward 
this  lawful  defence  that  this  suit  was  pleaded  in  another 
Quarter  Court,  than  that  in  which  it  ought  to  have  been 
pleaded ;  and  I  say  that  for  this  sake  their  suit  has  come  to 
naught ;  I  utter  this  defence  in  this  shape  before  the  East- 
firthers' Court." 

After  that  he  let  all  the  witness  be  brought  forward  which 
belonged  to  the  defence,  and  then  he  took  witness  to  all  the 
steps  in  the  defence  to  prove  that  they  had  all  been  duly 
taken. 

After  that  Eyjolf  again  took  witness  and  said — 
"  I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  forbid  the  judges,  by  a 
lawful  protest  before  the  priest,  to  utter  judgment  in  the  suit 
of  Mord  and  his  friends,  for  now  a  lawful  defence  has  been 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL.  285 


brought  before  the  court.  I  forbid  you  by  a  protest  made 
before  a  priest ;  by  a  full,  fair,  and  binding  protest ;  as  I  have 
a  right  to  forbid  you  by  the  common  custom  of  the  Althing, 
and  by  the  law  of  the  land." 

After  that  he  called  on  the  judges  to  pronounce  for  the 
defence. 

Then  Asgrim  and  his  friends  brought  on  the  other  suits  for 
the  Burning,  and  those  suits  took  their  course. 


CHAPTER  CXLIII. 

THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL  ASGRIM'S  SON. 

Now  Asgrim  and  his  friends  sent  a  man  to  Thorhall,  and  let 
him  be  told  in  what  a  strait  they  had  come. 

"  Too  far  off  was  I  now/'  answers  Thorhall,  M  for  this  cause 
might  still  not  have  taken  this  turn  if  I  had  been  by.  I  now 
see  their  course  that  they  must  mean  to  summon  you  to  the 
Fifth  Court  for  contempt  of  the  Thing.  They  must  also  mean 
to  divide  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  in  the  suit  for  the  Burning,  so 
that  no  judgment  may  be  given,  for  now  they  behave  so  as  to 
show  that  they  will  stay  at  no  ill.  Now  shalt  thou  go  back 
to  them  as  quickly  as  thou  canst,  and  say  that  Mord  must 
summon  them  both,  both  Flosi  and  Eyjolf,  for  having  brought 
money  into  the  Fifth  Court,  and  make  it  a  case  of  lesser  out- 
lawry. Then  he  shall  summon  them  with  a  second  summons 
for  that  they  have  brought  forward  that  witness  which  had 
nothing  to  do  with  their  cause,  and  so  were  guilty  of  contempt 
of  the  Thing ;  and  tell  them  that  I  say  this,  that  if  two  suits 
for  lesser  outlawry  hang  over  one  and  the  same  man,  that  he 
shall  be  adjudged  a  thorough  outlaw  at  once.  And  for  this  ye 
must  set  your  suits  on  foot  first,  that  then  ye  will  first  go  to 
trial  and  judgment/ ' 

Now  the  messenger  went  his  way  back  and  told  Mord  and 
Asgrim. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  Mord 
Valgard's  son  took  witness. 

"  I  take  witness  to  this  that  I  summon  Flosi  Thord's  son, 
for  that  he  gave  money  for  his  help  here  at  the  Thing  to 
Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son.    I  say  that  he  ought  on  this  charge  to 


286    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


be  made  a  guilty  outlaw,  for  this  sake  alone  to  be  forwarded 
or  to  be  allowed  the  right  of  frithstow  [sanctuary] ,  if  his  fine 
and  bail  are  brought  forward  at  the  execution  levied  on  his 
house  and  goods,  but  else  to  become  a  thorough  outlaw.  I  say 
all  his  goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men  of 
the  Quarter  who  have  the  right  by  law  to  take  his  goods  after 
he  has  been  outlawed.  I  summon  this  cause  before  the  Fifth 
Court,  whither  the  cause  ought  to  come  by  law ;  I  summon  it 
to  be  pleaded  now  and  to  full  outlawry.  I  summon  with  a 
lawful  summons.  I  summon  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws." 

With  a  like  summons  he  summoned  Eyjolf  Bolverk's 
son,  for  that  he  had  taken  and  received  the  money,  and  he 
summoned  him  for  that  sake  to  the  Fifth  Court. 

Again  a  second  time  he  summoned  Flosi  and  Eyjolf,  for 
that  sake  that  they  had  brought  forward  that  witness  at  the 
Thing  which  had  nothing  lawfully  to  do  with  the  cause  of  the 
parties,  and  had  so  been  guilty  of  contempt  of  the  Thing ; 
and  he  laid  the  penalty  for  that  at  lesser  outlawry. 

Then  they  went  away  to  the  Court  of  Laws,  there  the 
Fifth  Court  was  then  set. 

Now  when  Mord  and  Asgrim  had  gone  away,  then  the 
judges  in  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  could  not  agree  how  they 
should  give  judgment,  for  some  of  them  wished  to  give 
judgment  for  Flosi,  but  some  for  Mord  and  Asgrim.  Then 
Flosi  and  Eyjolf  tried  to  divide  the  court,  and  there  they 
stayed,  and  lost  time  over  that  while  the  summoning  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws  was  going  on.  A  little  while  after  Flosi  and 
Eyjolf  were  told  that  they  had  been  summoned  at  the  Hill  of 
Laws  into  the  Fifth  Court,  each  of  them  with  two  summons. 
Then  Eyjolf  said — 

"  In  an  evil  hour  have  we  loitered  here  while  they  have 
been  before  us  in  quickness  of  summoning.  Now  hath  come 
out  Thorhall's  cunning,  and  no  man  is  his  match  in  wit.  Now 
they  have  the  first  right  to  plead  their  cause  before  the  court, 
and  that  was  everything  for  them  ;  but  still  we  will  go  to  the 
Hill  of  Laws,  and  set  our  suit  on  foot  against  them,  though 
that  will  now  stand  us  in  little  stead." 

Then  they  fared  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  Eyjolf  summoned 
them  for  contempt  of  the  Thing. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  Fifth  Court. 

Now  we  must  say  that  when  Mord  and  Asgrim  came  to 
the  Fifth  Court,  Mord  took  witness  and  bade  them  listen  to 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL.  287 


his  oath  and  the  declaration  of  his  suit,  and  to  all  those  proofs 
and  steps  which  he  meant  to  bring  forward  against  Flosi  and 
Eyjolf.  He  bade  them  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court, 
so  that  the  judges  could  hear  him  across  the  court. 

In  the  Fifth  Court  vouchers  had  to  follow  the  oaths  of  the 
parties,  and  they  had  to  take  an  oath  after  them. 

Mord  took  witness. 

"  I  take  witness,"  he  said,  "  to  this,  that  I  take  a  Fifth 
Court  oath.  I  pray  God  so  to  help  me  in  this  light  and  in 
the  next,  as  I  shall  plead  this  suit  as  I  know  to  be  most 
truthful,  and  just,  and  lawful.  I  believe  with  all  my  heart 
that  Flosi  is  truly  guilty  in  this  suit,  if  I  may  bring  forward 
my  proofs ;  and  I  have  not  brought  money  into  this  court  in 
this  suit,  and  I  will  not  bring  it.  I  have  not  taken  money, 
and  I  will  not  take  it,  neither  for  a  lawful  nor  for  an  unlawful 
end." 

The  men  who  were  Mord's  vouchers  then  went  two  of 
them  before  the  court,  and  took  witness  to  this — 

"We  take  witness  that  we  take  an  oath  on  the  book,  a 
lawful  oath ;  we  pray  God  so  to  help  us  two  in  this  light  and 
in  the  next,  as  we  lay  it  on  our  honour  that  we  believe  with 
all  our  hearts  that  Mord  will  so  plead  this  suit  as  he  knows  to 
be  most  truthful,  and  most  just,  and  most  lawful,  and  that  he 
hath  not  brought  money  into  this  court  in  this  suit  to  help 
himself,  and  that  he  will  not  offer  it,  and  that  he  hath  not 
taken  money,  nor  will  he  take  it,  either  for  a  lawful  or  unlaw- 
ful end." 

Mord  had  summoned  nine  neighbours  who  lived  next  to 
the  Thingfield  on  the  inquest  in  the  suit,  and  then  Mord 
took  witness,  and  declared  those  four  suits  which  he  had  set 
on  foot  against  Flosi  and  Eyjolf ;  and  Mord  used  all  those 
words  in  his  declaration  that  he  had  used  in  his  summons. 
He  declared  his  suits  for  outlawry  in  the  same  shape  before 
the  Fifth  Court  as  he  had  uttered  them  when  he  summoned 
the  defendants. 

Mord  tpok  witness,  and  bade  those  nine  neighbours  on  the 
inquest  to  take  their  seats  west  on  the  river-bank. 

Mord  took  witness  again,  and  bade  Flosi  and  Eyjolf  to 
challenge  the  inquest. 

They  went  up  to  challenge  the  inquest,  and  looked  narrowly 
at  them,  but  could  get  none  of  them  set  aside  ;  then  they  went 
away  as  things  stood,  and  were  very  ill  pleased  with  their 
case. 


288    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Then  Mord  took  witness,  and  bade  those  nine  neighbours 
whom  he  had  before  called  on  the  inquest,  to  utter  their 
finding,  and  to  bring  it  in  either  for  or  against  Flosi. 

Then  the  neighbours  on  Mord's  inquest  came  before  the 
court,  and  one  uttered  the  finding,  but  all  the  rest  confirmed 
it  by  their  consent.  They  had  all  taken  the  Fifth  Court  oath, 
and  they  brought  in  Flosi  as  truly  guilty  in  the  suit,  and 
brought  in  their  finding  against  him.  They  brought  it  in  in 
such  a  shape  before  the  Fifth  Court  over  the  head  of  the  same 
man  over  whose  head  Mord  had  already  declared  his  suit. 
After  that  they  brought  in  all  those  findings  which  they  were 
bound  to  bring  in  in  all  the  other  suits,  and  all  was  done  in 
lawful  form. 

Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  and  Flosi  watched  to  find  a  flaw  in 
the  proceedings,  but  could  get  nothing  done. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness.  "  I  take  witness," 
said  he,  "  to  this,  that  these  nine  neighbours  whom  I  called  on 
these  suits  which  I  have  had  hanging  over  the  heads  of  Flosi 
Thord's  son,  and  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  have  now  uttered  their 
finding,  and  have  brought  them  in  truly  guilty  in  these  suits." 

He  took  this  witness  for  his  own  part. 

Again  Mord  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness,"  he  said,  "  to  this,  that  I  bid  Flosi  Thord's 
son,  or  that  other  man  who  has  taken  his  lawful  defence  in 
hand,  now  to  begin  their  defence ;  for  now  all  the  steps  and 
proofs  have  been  brought  forward  in  the  suit,  summons  to 
listen  to  oaths,  oaths  taken,  suit  declared,  witness  taken  to  the 
summons,  neighbours  called  on  to  take  their  seats  on  the 
inquest,  defendant  called  on  to  challenge  the  inquest,  finding 
uttered,  witness  taken  to  the  finding." 

He  took  this  witness  to  all  the  steps  that  had  been  taken 
in  the  suit. 

Then  that  man  stood  up  over  whose  head  the  suit  had 
been  declared  and  pleaded,  and  summed  up  the  case.  He 
summed  up  first  how  Mord  had  bade  them  listen  to  his  oath, 
and  to  his  declaration  of  the  suit,  and  to  all  the  steps  and 
proofs  in  it ;  then  he  summed  up  next  how  Mord  took  his 
oath  and  his  vouchers  theirs ;  then  he  summed  up  how  Mord 
pleaded  his  suit,  and  used  the  very  words  in  his  summing  up 
that  Mord  had  before  used  in  declaring  and  pleading  his  suit, 
and  which  he  had  used  in  his  summons,  and  he  said  that  the 
suit  came  before  the  Fifth  Court  in  the  same  shape  as  it  was 
when  he  uttered  it  at  the  summoning.    Then  he  summed  up 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL.  289 


that  men  had  borne  witness  to  the  summoning,  and  repeated 
all  those  words  that  Mord  had  used  in  his  summons,  and  which 
they  had  used  in  bearing  their  witness,  "and  which  I  now," 
he  said,  "have  used  in  my  summing  up,  and  they  bore  their 
witness  in  the  same  shape  before  the  Fifth  Court  as  he  uttered 
them  at  the  summoning ".  After  that  he  summed  up  that 
Mord  bade  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  to  take  their  seats, 
then  he  told  next  of  all  how  he  bade  Flosi  to  challenge  the 
inquest,  or  that  man  who  had  undertaken  this  lawful  defence 
for  him ;  then  he  told  how  the  neighbours  went  to  the  court, 
and  uttered  their  finding,  and  brought  in  Flosi  truly  guilty  in 
the  suit,  and  how  they  brought  in  the  finding  of  an  inquest  of 
nine  men  in  that  shape  before  the  Fifth  Court.  Then  he 
summed  up  how  Mord  took  witness  to  all  the  steps  in  the 
suit,  and  how  he  had  bidden  the  defendant  to  begin  his 
defence. 

After  that  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness.  "  I  take 
witness,"  he  said,  "to  this,  that  I  forbid  Flosi  Thord's  son,  or 
that  other  man  who  has  undertaken  the  lawful  defence  for 
him,  to  set  up  his  defence ;  for  now  are  all  the  steps  taken 
which  belong  to  the  suit,  when  the  case  has  been  summed  up 
and  the  proofs  repeated.' ' 

After  that  the  foreman  added  these  words  of  Mord  to  his 
summing  up. 

Then  Mord  took  witness,  and  prayed  the  judges  to  give 
judgment  in  this  suit. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said,  "  Thou  wilt  have  to  do  more 
yet,  Mord,  for  four  twelves  can  have  no  right  to  pass  judg- 
ment." 

Now  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf,  "What  counsel  is  to  be  taken 
now  ?  " 

Then  Eyjolf  said,  "  Now  we  must  make  the  best  of  a  bad 
business  ;  but  still,  we  will  bide  our  time,  for  now  I  guess  that 
they  will  make  a  false  step  in  their  suit,  for  Mord  prayed  for 
judgment  at  once  in  the  suit,  but  they  ought  to  call  and  set 
aside  six  men  out  of  the  court,  and  after  that  they  ought  to 
offer  us  to  call  and  set  aside  six  other  men,  but  we  will  not  do 
that,  for  then  they  ought  to  call  and  set  aside  those  six  men, 
and  they  will  perhaps  overlook  that ;  then  all  their  case  has 
come  to  naught  if  they^do  not  do  that,  for  three  twelves  have 
to  judge  in  every  cause 

"Thou  art  a  wise  man,  Eyjolf,"  said  Flosi,  "so  that  few  can 
come  nigh  thee." 

19 


290    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness. 

"  I  take  witness/'  he  said,  "  to  this,  that  I  call  and  set  aside 
these  six  men  out  of  the  court " — and  named  them  all  by  name 
— "  I  do  not  allow  you  to  sit  in  the  court ;  I  call  you  out  and 
set  you  aside  by  the  rightful  custom  of  the  Althing,  and  the 
law  of  the  land." 

After  that  he  offered  Eyjolf  and  Flosi,  before  witnesses,  to 
call  out  by  name  and  set  aside  other  six  men,  but  Flosi  and 
Eyjolf  would  not  call  them  out. 

Then  Mord  made  them  pass  judgment  in  the  cause  ;  but 
when  the  judgment  was  given,  Eyjolf  took  witness,  and  said 
that  all  their  judgment  had  come  to  naught,  and  also  every- 
thing else  that  had  been  done,  and  his  ground  was  that  three 
twelves  and  one  half  had  judged,  when  three  only  ought  to 
have  given  judgment. 

"And  now  we  will  follow  up  our  suits  before  the  Fifth 
Court/'  said  Eyjolf,  "and  make  them  outlaws." 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said  to  Mord  Valgard's  son — 

"Thou  hast  made  a  very  great  mistake  in  taking  such  a 
false  step,  and  this  is  great  ill-luck ;  but  what  counsel  shall  we 
now  take,  kinsman  Asgrim  ?  "  says  Gizur. 

Then  Asgrim  said — "  Now  we  will  send  a  man  to  my  son 
Thorhall,  and  know  what  counsel  he  will  give  us  ". 


CHAPTER  CXLIV. 

BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING. 

Now  Snorri  the  priest  hears  how  the  causes  stood,  and  then  he 
begins  to  draw  up  his  men  in  array  below  the  "  Great  Rift," 
between  it  and  Hadbooth,  and  laid  down  beforehand  to  his 
men  how  they  were  to  behave. 

Now  the  messenger  comes  to  Thorhall  Asgrim' s  son,  and 
tells  him  how  things  stood,  and  how  Mord  Volgard's  son  and 
his  friends  would  all  be  made  outlaws,  and  the  suits  for  man- 
slaughter be  brought  to  naught. 

But  when  he  heard  that,  he  was  so  shocked  at  it  that  he 
could  not  utter  a  word.  He  jumped  up  then  from  his  bed, 
and  clutched  with  both  hands  his  spear,  Skarphedinn's  gift, 
and  drove  it  through  his  foot ;  then  flesh  clung  to  the  spear, 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING.  291 


and  the  eye  of  the  boil  too,  for  he  had  cut  it  clean  out  of  the 
foot,  but  a  torrent  of  blood  and  matter  poured  out,  so  that  it 
fell  in  a  stream  along  the  floor.  Now  he  went  out  of  the  booth 
unhalting,  and  walked  so  hard  that  the  messenger  could  not 
keep  up  with  him,  and  so  he  goes  until  he  came  to  the  Fifth 
Court.  There  he  met  Grim  the  red,  Flosi's  kinsman,  and  as 
soon  as  ever  they  met,  Thorhall  thrust  at  him  with  the  spear, 
and  smote  him  on  the  shield  and  clove  it  in  twain,  but  the 
spear  passed  right  through  him,  so  that  the  point  came  out 
between  his  shoulders.    Thorhall  cast  him  off  his  spear. 

Then  Kari  Solmund's  son  caught  sight  of  that,  and  said  to 
Asgrim — 

u  Here,  now,  is  come  Thorhall  thy  son,  and  has  straightway 
slain  a  man,  and  this  is  a  great  shame,  if  he  alone  shall  have  the 
heart  to  avenge  the  Burning. " 

"  That  shall  not  be/'  says  Asgrim,  "  but  let  us  turn  on  them 
now." 

Then  there  was  a  mighty  cry  all  over  the  host,  and  then 
they  shouted  their  war-cries. 

Flosi  and  his  friends  then  turned  against  their  foes,  and 
both  sides  egged  on  their  men  fast. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  turned  now  thither  where  Arni  Kol's 
son  and  Hallbjorn  the  strong  were  in  front,  and  as  soon  as  ever 
Hallbjorn  saw  Kari,  he  made  a  blow  at  him,  and  aimed  at  his 
leg,  but  Kari  leapt  up  into  the  air,  and  Hallbjorn  missed  him. 
Kari  turned  on  Arni  Kol's  son  and  cut  at  him,  and  smote  him 
on  the  shoulder,  and  cut  asunder  the  shoulder  blade  and  collar 
bone,  and  the  blow  went  right  down  into  his  breast,  and  Arni 
fell  down  dead  at  once  to  earth. 

After  that  he  hewed  at  Hallbjorn  and  caught  him  on  the 
shield,  and  the  blow  passed  through  the  shield,  and  so  down 
and  cut  off  his  great  toe.  Holmstein  hurled  a  spear  at  Kari, 
but  he  caught  it  in  the  air,  and  sent  it  back,  and  it  was  a  man's 
death  in  Flosi's  band. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  came  up  to  where  Hallbjorn  the  strong 
was  in  front,  and  Thorgeir  made  such  a  spear- thrust  at  him  with 
his  left  hand  that  Hallbjorn  fell  before  it,  and  had  hard  work 
to  get  on  his  feet  again,  and  turned  away  from  the  fight  there 
and  then.  Then  Thorgeir  met  Thorwalld  Kettle  rumble's  son, 
and  hewed  at  him  at  once  with  the  axe,  "  the  ogress  of  war," 
which  Skarphedinn  had  owned.  Thorwalld  threw  his  shield 
before  him,  and  Thorgeir  hewed  the  shield  and  cleft  it  from 
top  to  bottom,  but  the  upper  horn  of  the  axe  made  its  way 


292    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


into  his  breast,  and  passed  into  his  trunk,  and  Thorwalld  fell 
and  was  dead  at  once. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and 
Thorhall  his  son,  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Gizur  the  white, 
made  an  onslaught  where  Flosi  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  the 
other  Burners  were  ;  then  there  was  a  very  hard  fight,  and  the 
end  of  it  was  that  they  pressed  on  so  hard,  that  Flosi  and  his 
men  gave  way  before  them.  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and 
Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  made  their  on- 
slaught where  the  Axefirthers  and  Eastfirthers,  and  the  men  of 
Reykdale  stood,  and  there  too  there  was  a  very  hard  fight. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  came  up  where  Bjarni  Broddhelgi's  son 
had  the  lead.  Kari  caught  up  a  spear  and  thrust  at  him,  and 
the  blow  fell  on  his  shield.  Bjarni  slipped  the  shield  on  one 
side  of  him,  else  it  had  gone  straight  through  him.  Then  he 
cut  at  Kari  and  aimed  at  his  leg,  but  Kari  drew  back  his  leg 
and  turned  short  round  on  his  heel,  and  Bjarni  missed  him. 
Kari  cut  at  once  at  him,  and  then  a  man  ran  forward  and  threw 
his  shield  before  Bjarni.  Kari  cleft  the  shield  in  twain,  and 
the  point  of  the  sword  caught  his  thigh,  and  ripped  up  the 
whole  leg  down  to  the  ankle.  That  man  fell  there  and  then, 
and  was  ever  after  a  cripple  so  long  as  he  lived. 

Then  Kari  clutched  his  spear  with  both  hands,  and  turned 
on  Bjarni  and  thrust  at  him ;  he  saw  he  had  no  other  chance 
but  to  throw  himself  down  sidelong  away  from  the  blow,  but 
as  soon  as  ever  Bjarni  found  his  feet,  away  he  fell  back  out  of 
the  fight. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  and  Gizur  the  white  fell  on  there  where 
Holmstein  the  son  of  Bersi  the  wise,  and  Thorkel  Geiti's  son 
were  leaders,  and  the  end  of  the  struggle  was,  that  Holmstein 
and  Thorkel  gave  way,  and  then  arose  a  mighty  hooting  after 
them  from  the  men  of  Gudmund  the  powerful. 

Thorwalld  Tjorfi's  son  of  Lightwater  got  a  great  wound  ;  he 
was  shot  in  the  forearm,  and  men  thought  that  Halldor  Gud- 
mund the  powerful' s  son  had  hurled  the  spear,  but  he  bore 
that  wound  about  with  him  all  his  life  long,  and  got  no  atone- 
ment for  it. 

Now  there  was  a  mighty  throng.  But  though  we  hear  tell 
of  some  of  the  deeds  that  were  done,  still  there  are  far  many 
more  of  which  men  have  handed  down  no  stories. 

Flosi  had  told  them  that  they  should  make  for  the  strong- 
hold in  the  Great  Rift  if  they  were  worsted,  "  for  there/'  said 
he,  "  they  will  only  be  able  to  attack  us  on  one  side".    But  the 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING. 


293 


band  which  Hall  of  the  Side  and  his  son  Ljot  led,  had  fallen 
away  out  of  the  fight  before  the  onslaught  of  that  father  and 
son,  Asgrim  and  Thorhall.  They  turned  down  east  of  Axe- 
water,  and  Hall  said — 

"This  is  a  sad  state  of  things  when  the  whole  host  of  men  at 
the  Thing  fight,  and  I  would,  kinsman  Ljot,  that  we  begged  us 
help  even  though  that  be  brought  against  us  by  some  men,  and 
that  we  part  them.  Thou  shalt  wait  for  me  at  the  foot  of  the 
bridge,  and  I  will  go  to  the  booths  and  beg  for  help/' 

"If  I  see,"  said  Ljot,  "that  Flosi  and  his  men  need  help 
from  our  men,  then  I  will  at  once  run  up  and  aid  them." 

"Thou  wilt  do  in  that  as  thou  pleasest,"  says  Hall,  "but  I 
pray  thee  to  wait  for  me  here/' 

Now  flight  breaks  out  in  Flosi's  band,  and  they  all  fly  west 
across  Axewater ;  but  Asgrim  and  Gizur  the  white  went  after 
them  and  all  their  host.  Flosi  and  his  men  turned  down  be- 
tween the  river  and  the  Outwork  booth.  Snorri  the  priest  had 
drawn  up  his  men  there  in  array,  so  thick  that  they  could  not 
pass  that  way,  and  Snorri  the  priest  called  out  then  to  Flosi — 

"  Why  fare  ye  in  such  haste,  or  who  chase  you  ?  " 

"Thou  askest  not  this,"  answered  Flosi,  "because  thou  dost 
not  know  it  already ;  but  whose  fault  is  it  that  we  cannot  get 
to  the  stronghold  in  the  Great  Rift  ?  " 

"It  is  not  my  fault,"  says  Snorri,  "but  it  is  quite  true  that 
I  know  whose  fault  it  is,  and  I  will  tell  thee  if  thou  wilt ;  it  is 
the  fault  of  Thorwalld  cropbeard  and  Kol." 

They  were  both  then  dead,  but  they  had  been  the  worst 
men  in  all  Flosi' s  band. 

Again  Snorri  said  to  his  men — 

"  Now  do  both,  cut  at  them  and  thrust  at  them,  and  drive 
them  away  hence,  they  will  then  hold  out  but  a  short  while 
here,  if  the  others  attack  them  from  below ;  but  then  ye  shall 
not  go  after  them,  but  let  both  sides  shift  for  themselves." 

The  son  of  Skapti  Thorod's  son  was  Thorstein  gapemouth, 
as  was  written  before,  he  was  in  the  battle  with  Gudmund  the 
powerful,  his  father-in-law,  and  as  soon  as  Skapti  knew  that, 
he  went  to  the  booth  of  Snorri  the  priest,  and  meant  to  beg  for 
help  to  part  them  ;  but  just  before  he  had  got  as  far  as  the 
door  of  Snorri's  booth,  there  the  battle  was  hottest  of  all. 
Asgrim  and  his  friends  and  his  men  were  just  coming  up 
thither,  and  then  Thorhall  said  to  his  father  Asgrim — 

"See  there  now  is  Skapti  Thorod's  son,  father." 

"  I  see  him,  kinsman,"  said  Asgrim,  and  then  he  shot  a 


294    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


spear  at  Skapti,  and  struck  him  just  below  where  the  calf  was 
fattest,  and  so  through  both  his  legs.  Skapti  fell  at  the  blow, 
and  could  not  get  up  again,  and  the  only  counsel  they  could 
take  who  were  by,  was  to  drag  Skapti  flat  on  his  face  into  the 
booth  of  a  turf-cutter. 

Then  Asgrim  and  his  men  came  up  so  fast  that  Flosi  and 
his  men  gave  way  before  them  south  along  the  river  to  the 
booths  of  the  men  of  Modruvale.  There  there  was  a  man  out- 
side one  booth  whose  name  was  Solvi ;  he  was  boiling  broth  in  a 
great  kettle,  and  had  just  then  taken  the  meat  out,  and  the 
broth  was  boiling  as  hotly  as  it  could. 

Solvi  cast  his  eyes  on  the  Eastfirthers  as  they  fled,  and  they 
were  then  just  over  against  him,  and  then  he  said — "Can  all 
these  cowards  who  fly  here  be  Eastfirthers,  and  yet  Thorkel 
Geiti's  son,  he  ran  by  as  fast  as  any  one  of  them,  and  very  great 
lies  have  been  told  about  him  when  men  say  that  he  is  all  heart, 
but  now  no  one  ran  faster  than  he 

Hallbjorn  the  strong  was  near  by  them,  and  said — 

"  Thou  shalt  not  have  it  to  say  that  we  are  all  cowards." 

And  with  that  he  caught  hold  of  him,  and  lifted  him  up 
aloft,  and  thrust  him  head  down  into  the  broth-kettle.  Solvi 
died  at  once  ;  but  then  a  rush  was  made  at  Hallbjorn  himself, 
and  he  had  to  turn  and  fly. 

Flosi  threw  a  spear  at  Bruni  Haflidi's  son,  and  caught  him 
at  the  waist,  and  that  was  his  bane ;  he  was  one  of  Gudmund 
the  powerful's  band. 

Thorstein  Hlenni's  son  took  the  spear  out  of  the  wound, 
and  hurled  it  back  at  Flosi,  and  hit  him  on  the  leg,  and  he  got 
a  great  wound  and  fell ;  he  rose  up  again  at  once. 

Then  they  passed  on  to  the  Waterfirthers'  booth,  and  then 
Hall  and  Ljot  came  from  the  east  across  the  river,  with  all 
their  band  ;  but  just  when  they  came  to  the  lava,  a  spear  was 
hurled  out  of  the  band  of  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and  it  struck 
Ljot  in  the  middle,  and  he  fell  down  dead  at  once  ;  and  it  was 
never  known  surely  who  had  done  that  manslaughter. 

Flosi  and  his  men  turned  up  round  the  Waterfirther's  booth, 
and  then  Thorgeir  Craggeir  said  to  Kari  Solmund's  son — 

"  Look,  yonder  now  is  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  if  thou  hast  a 
mind  to  pay  him  off  for  the  ring/' 

"That  I  ween  is  not  far  from  my  mind,"  says  Kari,  and 
snatched  a  spear  from  a  man,  and  hurled  it  at  Eyjolf,  and  it 
struck  him  in  the  waist,  and  went  through  him,  and  Eyjolf  then 
fell  dead  to  earth. 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING.  295 


Then  there  was  a  little  lull  in  the  battle,  and  then  Snorri 
the  priest  came  up  with  his  band,  and  Skapti  was  there  in  his 
company,  and  they  ran  in  between  them,  and  so  they  could  not 
get  at  one  another  to  fight. 

Then  Hall  threw  in  his  people  with  theirs,  and  was  for 
parting  them  there  and  then,  and  so  a  truce  was  set,  and  was 
to  be  kept  throughout  the  Thing,  and  then  the  bodies  were  laid 
out  and  borne  to  the  church,  and  the  wounds  of  those  men 
were  bound  up  who  were  hurt. 

The  day  after  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws.  Then  Hall 
of  the  Side  stood  up  and  asked  for  a  hearing,  and  got  it  at 
once  ;  and  he  spoke  thus — 

"  Here  there  have  been  hard  happenings  in  lawsuits  and 
loss  of  life  at  the  Thing,  and  now  I  will  show  again  that  I  am 
little-hearted,  for  I  will  now  ask  Asgrim  and  the  others  who 
take  the  lead  in  these  suits,  that  they  grant  us  an  atone- 
ment on  even  terms;"  and  so  he  goes  on  with  many  fair 
words. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  said — 

"  Though  all  others  take  an  atonement  in  their  quarrels,  yet 
will  I  take  no  atonement  in  my  quarrel ;  for  ye  will  wish  to 
weigh  these  manslayings  against  the  Burning,  and  we  cannot 
bear  that." 

In  the  same  way  spoke  Thorgeir  Cragg^ir. 

Then  Skapti  Thorod's  son  stood  up  and  said— 

"  Better  had  it  been  for  thee,  Kari,  not  to  have  run  away 
from  thy  father-in-law  and  thy  brothers-in-law,  than  now  to 
sneak  out  of  this  atonement." 

Then  Kari  sang  these  verses — 

Warrior  wight  that  weapon  wieldest 
Spare  thy  speering  why  we  fled, 
Oft  for  less  falls  hail  of  battle, 
Forth  we  fled  to  wreak  revenge  ; 
Who  was  he,  faint-hearted  foeman, 
Who,  when  tongues  of  steel  sung  high, 
Stole  beneath  the  booth  for  shelter, 
While  his  beard  blushed  red  for  shame  ? 

Many  fetters  Skapti  fettered 
When  the  men,  the  Gods  of  fight, 
From  the  fray  fared  all  unwilling 
Where  the  skald  scarce  held  his  shield  ; 
Then  the  suttlers  dragged  the  lawyer 
Stout  in  scolding  to  their  booth, 
Laid  him  low  amongst  the  riffraff, 
How  his  heart  then  quaked  for  fear. 


296    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Men  who  skim  the  main  on  sea  stag 
Well  in  this  ye  showed  your  sense, 
Making  game  about  the  Burning, 
Mocking  Helgi,  Grim,  and  Njal ; 
Now  the  moor  round  rocky  Swinestye,* 
As  men  run  and  shake  their  shields, 
With  another  grunt  shall  rattle 
When  this  Thing  is  past  and  gone. 

Then  there  was  great  laughter.  Snorri  the  priest  smiled, 
and  sang  this  between  his  teeth,  but  so  that  many  heard — 

Skill  hath  Skapti  us  to  tell 
Whether  Asgrim's  shaft  flew  well ; 
Holmstein  hurried  swift  to  flight, 
Thorstein  turned  him  soon  to  fight. 

Now  men  burst  out  in  great  fits  of  laughter. 
Then  Hall  of  the  Side  said — 

"  All  men  know  what  a  grief  I  have  suffered  in  the  loss 
of  my  son  Ljot ;  many  will  think  that  he  would  be  valued 
dearest  of  all  those  men  who  have  fallen  here  ;  but  I  will  do 
this  for  the  sake  of  an  atonement — I  will  put  no  price  on  my 
son,  and  yet  will  come  forward  and  grant  both  pledges  and 
peace  to  those  who  are  my  adversaries.  I  beg  thee,  Snorri 
the  priest,  and  other  of  the  best  men,  to  bring  this  about,  that 
there  may  be  an  atonement  between  us." 

Now  he  sits  him  down,  and  a  great  hum  in  his  favour 
followed,  and  all  praised  his  gentleness  and  goodwill. 

Then  Snorri  the  priest  stood  up  and  made  a  long  and  clever 
speech,  and  begged  Asgrim  and  the  others  who  took  the  lead 
in  the  quarrel  to  look  towards  an  atonement. 

Then  Asgrim  said — 

"  I  made  up  my  mind  when  Flosi  made  an  inroad  on  my 
house  that  I  would  never  be  atoned  with  him ;  but  now  Snorri 
the  priest,  I  will  take  an  atonement  from  him  for  thy  word's 
sake  and  other  of  our  friends.' ' 

In  the  same  way  spoke  Thorleif  crow  and  Thorgrim  the 
big,  that  they  were  willing  to  be  atoned,  and  they  urged  in 
every  way  their  brother  Thorgeir  Craggeir  to  take  an  atone- 
ment also ;  but  he  hung  back,  and  says  he  would  never  part 
from  Kari. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

"  Now  Flosi  must  see  that  he  must  make  his  choice, 
*  "  Swinestye,"  ironically  for  Swinefell,  where  Flosi  lived. 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING.  297 


whether  he  will  be  atoned  on  the  understanding  that  some 
will  be  out  of  the  atonement.' ' 

Flosi  says  he  will  take  that  atonement ;  ' '  and  methinks  it 
is  so  much  the  better/'  he  says,  "that  I  have  fewer  good  men 
and  true  against  me". 

Then  Gudmund  the  powerful  said — 

"  I  will  offer  to  hansel  peace  on  my  behalf  for  the  slayings 
that  have  happened  here  at  the  Thing,  on  the  under- 
standing that  the  suit  for  the  Burning  is  not  to  fall  to  the 
ground." 

In  the  same  way  spoke  Gizur  the  white  and  Hjallti  Skeggi's 
son,  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  and  Mord  Valgard's  son. 

In  this  way  the  atonement  came  about,  and  then  hands 
were  shaken  on  it,  and  twelve  men  were  to  utter  the  award  ; 
and  Snorri  the  priest  was  the  chief  man  in  the  award,  and 
others  with  him.  Then  the  manslaughters  were  set  off  the  one 
against  the  other,  and  those  men  who  were  over  and  above 
were  paid  for  in  fines.  They  also  made  an  award  in  the  suit 
about  the  Burning. 

Njal  was  to  be  atoned  for  with  a  triple  fine,  and  Bergthora 
with  two.  The  slaying  of  Skarphedinn  was  to  be  set  off 
against  that  of  Hauskuld  the  Whiteness  priest.  Both  Grim 
and  Helgi  were  to  be  paid  for  with  double  fines ;  and  one  full 
man-fine  should  be  paid  for  each  of  those  who  had  been  burnt 
in  the  house. 

No  atonement  was  taken  for  the  slaying  of  Thord  Kari's 

son. 

It  was  also  in  the  award  that  Flosi  and  all  the  Burners 
should  go  abroad  into  banishment,  and  none  of  them  was  to 
sail  the  same  summer  unless  he  chose ;  but  if  he  did  not  sail 
abroad  by  the  time  that  three  winters  were  spent,  then  he  and 
all  the  Burners  were  to  become  thorough  outlaws.  And  it 
was  also  said  that  their  outlawry  might  be  proclaimed  either 
at  the  Harvest-Thing  or  Spring-Thing,  whichever  men  chose  ; 
and  Flosi  was  to  stay  abroad  three  winters. 

As  for  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  Glum 
Hilldir's  son,  and  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  they  were  never  to  be 
allowed  to  come  back. 

Then  Flosi  was  asked  if  he  would  wish  to  have  a  price  put 
upon  his  wound,  but  he  said  he  would  not  take  bribes  for  his 
hurt. 

Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  had  no  fine  awarded  for  him,  for  his 
unfairness  and  wrongfulness. 


298    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


And  now  this  settlement  and  atonement  was  handselled, 


.-awd  was  well  kept  afterwards. 

Asgrim  and  his  friends  gave  Snorri  the  priest  good  gifts, 
and  he  had  great  honour  from  these  suits. 
Skapti  got  a  fine  for  his  hurt. 

Gizur  the  white,  and  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Asgrim 
Ellidagrim's  son,  asked  Gudmund  the  powerful  to  come  and 
see  them  at  home.  He  accepted  the  bidding,  and  each  of 
them  gave  him  a  gold  ring. 

Now  Gudmund  rides  home  north,  and  had  praise  from 
every  man  for  the  part  he  had  taken  in  these  quarrels. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  asked  Kari  to  go  along  with  him,  but 
yet  first  of  all  they  rode  with  Gudmund  right  up  to  the  fells 
north.  Kari  gave  Gudmund  a  golden  brooch,  but  Thorgeir 
gave  him  a  silver  belt,  and  each  was  the  greatest  treasure.  So 
they  parted  with  the  utmost  friendship,  and  Gudmund  is  out 
of  this  story. 

Kari  and  Thorgeir  rode  south  from  the  fell,  and  down  to 
the  Rapes,1  and  so  to  Thurso-water. 

Flosi,  and  the  Burners  along  with  him,  rode  east  to  Fleet- 
lithe,  and  he  allowed  the  sons  of  Sigfus  to  settle  their  affairs 
at  home.  Then  Flosi  heard  that  Thorgeir  and  Kari  had  ridden 
north  with  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and  so  the  Burners  thought 
that  Kari  and  his  friend  must  mean  to  stay  in  the  north  country  ; 
and  then  the  sons  of  Sigfus  asked  leave  to  go  east  under  Eyja- 
fell  to  get  in  their  money,  for  they  had  money  out  on  call  at 
Headbrink.  Flosi  gave  them  leave  to  do  that,  but  still  bade 
them  be  ware  of  themselves,  and  be  as  short  a  time  about  it  as 
they  could. 

Then  Flosi  rode  up  by  Godaland,  and  so  north  of  Eyjafell 
Jokul,  and  did  not  draw  bridle  before  he  came  home  east  to 
Swinefell. 

Now  it  must  be  said  that  Hall  of  the  Side  had  suffered  his 
son  to  fall  without  a  fine,  and  did  that  for  the  sake  of  an  atone- 
ment, but  then  the  whole  host  of  men  at  the  Thing  agreed  to 
pay  a  fine  for  him,  and  the  money  so  paid  was  not  less  than 
eight  hundred  in  silver,  but  that  was  four  times  the  price  of  a 
man ;  but  all  the  others  who  had  been  with  Flosi  got  no  fines 
paid  for  their  hurts,  and  were  very  ill  pleased  at  it. 

1  This  is  the  English  equivalent  for  the  Icelandic  Hrepp,  a  district.  It 
still  lingers  in  "the  Rape  of  Bramber,"  and  other  districts  in  Sussex  and  the 
south-east. 


OF  KARI  AND  THORGEIR.  299 


CHAPTER  CXLV. 

OF  KARI  AND  THORGEIR. 

Those  two,  Kari  Solmund's  son  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  rode 
that  day  east  across  Markfleet,  and  so  on  east  to  Selialands- 
mull.  They  found  there  some  women.  The  wives  knew 
them,  and  said  to  them — 

u  Ye  two  are  less  wanton  than  the  sons  of  Sigfus  yonder, 
but  still  ye  fare  unwarily/' 

"  Why  do  ye  talk  thus  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  or  what  do  ye 
know  about  them  ?  " 

"  They  were  last  night,"  they  said,  "  at  Raufarfell,  and  meant 
to  get  to  Myrdale  to-night,  but  still  we  thought  they  must 
have  some  fear  of  you,  for  they  asked  when  he  would  be  likely 
to  come  home/' 

Then  Kari  and  Thorgeir  went  on  their  way  and  spurred  their 
horses. 

"  What  shall  we  lay  down  for  ourselves  to  do  now,"  said 
Thorgeir,  "  or  what  is  most  to  thy  mind  ?  Wilt  thou  that  we 
ride  on  their  track  ?  " 

"I  will  not  hinder  this,"  answers  Kari,  "nor  will  I  say 
what  ought  to  be  done,  for  it  may  often  be  that  those  live  long 
who  are  slain  with  words  alone  ; 1  but  I  well  know  what  thou 
meanest  to  take  on  thyself,  thou  must  mean  to  take  on  thy 
hands  eight  men,  and  after  all  that  is  less  than  it  was  when 
thou  slewest  those  seven  in  the  sea-crags,2  and  let  thyself  down 
by  a  rope  to  get  at  them ;  but  it  is  the  way  with  all  you  kins- 
men, that  ye  always  wish  to  be  doing  some  famous  feat,  and 
now  I  can  do  no  less  than  stand  by  thee  and  have  my  share  in 
the  story.  So  now  we  two  alone  will  ride  after  them,  for  I  see 
that  thou  hast  so  made  up  thy  mind." 

After  that  they  rode  east  by  the  upper  way,  and  did  not 
pass  by  Holt,  for  Thorgeir  would  not  that  any  blame  should  be 
laid  at  his  brother's  door  for  what  might  be  done. 

Then  they  rode  east  to  Myrdale,  and  there  they  met  a 
man  who  had  turf-panniers  on  his  horse.  He  began  to  speak 
thus — 

1 "  With  words  alone."  The  English  proverb,  "Threatened  men  live 
long". 

2  "  Sea  crags."    Hence  Thorgeir  got  his  surname  "  Craggeir  ". 


/ 


/ 


300    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


w  Too  few  men,  messmate  Thorgeir,  hast  thou  now  in  thy 
company." 

"  How  is  that  ?  "  says  Thorgeir. 

"  Why/'  said  the  other,  "  because  the  prey  is  now  before 
thy  hand.  The  sons  of  Sigfus  rode  by  a  while  ago,  and  mean 
to  sleep  the  whole  day  east  in  Carlinedale,  for  they  mean  to  go 
no  farther  to-night  than  to  Headbrink." 

After  that  they  rode  on  their  way  east  on  Arnstacks  heath, 
and  there  is  nothing  to  be  told  of  their  journey  before  they 
came  to  Carlinedale-water. 

The  stream  was  high,  and  now  they  rode  up  along  the 
river,  for  they  saw  their  horses  with  saddles.  They  rode  now 
thitherward,  and  saw  that  there  were  men  asleep  in  a  dell  and 
their  spears  were  standing  upright  in  the  ground  a  little  below 
them.  They  took  the  spears  from  them,  and  threw  them  into 
the  river. 

Then  Thorgeir  said — 

"  Wilt  thou  that  we  wake  them  ?  " 

"Thou  hast  not  asked  this,"  answers  Kari,  "because  thou 
hast  not  already  made  up  thy  mind  not  to  fall  on  sleeping  men, 
and  so  to  slay  a  shameful  manslaughter. " 

After  that  they  shouted  to  them,  and  then  they  all  awoke 
and  grasped  at  their  arms. 

They  did  not  fall  on  them  till  they  were  armed. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  runs  thither  where  Thorkel  Sigfus'  son 
stood,  and  just  then  a  man  ran  behind  his  back,  but  before  he 
could  do  Thorgeir  any  hurt,  Thorgeir  lifted  the  axe,  "the 
ogress  of  war,"  with  both  hands,  and  dashed  the  hammer  of 
the  axe  with  a  back-blow  into  the  head  of  him  that  stood 
behind  him,  so  that  his  skull  was  shattered  to  small  bits. 

"  Slain  is  this  one,"  said  Thorgeir ;  and  down  the  man  fell 
at  once,  and  was  dead. 

But  when  he  dashed  the  axe  forward,  he  smote  Thorkel 
on  the  shoulder,  and  hewed  it  off,  arm  and  all. 

Against  Kari  came  Mord  Sigfus'  son,  and  Sigmund  Sigfus' 
son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son ;  the  last  ran  behind  Kari's  back, 
and  thrust  at  him  with  a  spear ;  Kari  caught  sight  of  him,  and 
leapt  up  as  the  blow  fell,  and  stretched  his  legs  far  apart,  and 
so  the  blow  spent  itself  on  the  ground,  but  Kari  jumped  down 
on  the  spear-shaft,  and  snapped  it  in  sunder.  He  had  a  spear 
in  one  hand,  and  a  sword  in  the  other,  but  no  shield.  He 
thrust  with  the  right  hand  at  Sigmund  Sigfus'  son,  and  smote 
him  on  his  breast,  and   the  spear  came  out  between  his 


OF  KARI  AND  THORGEIR. 


301 


shoulders,  and  down  he  fell  and  was  dead  at  once.  With  his 
left  hand  he  made  a  cut  at  Mord,  and  smote  him  on  the  hip, 
and  cut  it  asunder,  and  his  backbone  too ;  he  fell  flat  on  his 
face,  and  was  dead  at  once. 

After  that  he  turned  sharp  round  on  his  heel  like  a 
whipping-top,  and  made  at  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  but  he  took 
the  only  way  to  save  himself,  and  that  was  by  running  away  as 
hard  as  he  could. 

Now  Thorgeir  turns  against  Leidolf  the  strong,  and  each 
hewed  at  the  other  at  the  same  moment,  and  Leidolf  s  blow 
was  so  great  that  it  shore  off  that  part  of  the  shield  on  which 
it  fell. 

Thorgeir  had  hewn  with  "the  ogress  of  war,"  holding  it 
with  both  hands,  and  the  lower  horn  fell  on  the  shield  and 
clove  it  in  twain,  but  the  upper  caught  the  collar  bone  and  cut 
it  in  two,  and  tore  on  down  into  the  breast  and  trunk.  Kari 
came  up  just  then,  and  cut  off  Leidolf  s  leg  at  mid-thigh,  and 
then  Leidolf  fell  and  died  at  once. 

Kettle  of  the  Mark  said — "  We  will  now  run  for  our  horses, 
for  we  cannot  hold  our  own  here,  for  the  overbearing  strength 
of  these  men". 

Then  they  ran  for  their  horses,  and  leapt  on  their  backs  ;  and 
Thorgeir  said — 

u  Wilt  thou  that  we  chase  them  ?  if  so,  we  shall  yet  slay 
some  of  them." 

"  He  rides  last,"  says  Kari,  "  whom  I  would  not  wish  to 
slay,  and  that  is  Kettle  of  the  Mark,  for  we  have  two  sisters  to 
wife  ;  and  besides,  he  has  behaved  best  of  all  of  them  as  yet 
in  our  quarrels." 

Then  they  got  on  their  horses,  and  rode  till  they  came  home 
to  Holt.  Then  Thorgeir  made  his  brothers  fare  away  east  to 
Skoga,  for  they  had  another  farm  there,  and  because  Thorgeir 
would  not  that  his  brothers  should  be  called  truce-breakers. 

Then  Thorgeir  kept  many  men  there  about  him,  so  that 
there  were  never  fewer  than  thirty  fighting  men  there. 

Then  there  was  great  joy  there,  and  men  thought  Thorgeir 
had  grown  much  greater,  and  pushed  himself  on ;  both  he  arid 
Kari  too.  Men  long  kept  in  mind  this  hunting  of  theirs,  how 
they  two  rode  upon  fifteen  men  and  slew  those  five,  but  put 
those  ten  to  flight  who  got  away. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Kettle,  that  they  rode  as  they  best 
might  till  they  came  home  to  Swinefell,  and  told  how  bad 
their  journey  had  been. 


302    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Flosi  said  it  was  only  what  was  to  be  looked  for  ;  "  and 
this  is  a  warning  that  ye  should  never  do  the  like  again 

Flosi  was  the  merriest  of  men,  and  the  best  of  hosts,  and  it 
is  so  said  that  he  had  most  of  the  chieftain  in  him  of  all  the 
men  of  his  time. 

He  was  at  home  that  summer,  and  the  winter  too. 

But  that  winter,  after  Yule,  Hall  of  the  Side  came  from 
the  east,  and  Kol  his  son.  Flosi  was  glad  at  his  coming,  and 
they  often  talked  about  the  matter  of  the  Burning.  Flosi  said 
they  had  already  paid  a  great  fine,  and  Hall  said  it  was  pretty 
much  what  he  had  guessed  would  come  of  Flosi's  and  his 
friends'  quarrel.  Then  he  asked  him  what  counsel  he  thought 
best  to  be  taken,  and  Hall  answers — 

"  The  counsel  I  give  is,  that  thou  beest  atoned  with  Thor- 
geir  if  there  be  a  choice,  and  yet  he  will  be  hard  to  bring  to 
take  any  atonement." 

"  Thinkest  thou  that  the  manslaughters  will  then  be  brought 
to  an  end  ?  "  asks  Flosi. 

"  I  do  not  think  so/'  says  Hall ;  "  but  you  will  have  to  do 
with  fewer  foes  if  Kari  be  left  alone  ;  but  if  thou  art  not 
atoned  with  Thorgeir,  then  that  will  be  thy  bane." 

"  What  atonement  shall  we  offer  him  ?  "  asks  Flosi. 

"  You  will  all  think  that  atonement  hard,"  says  Hall, 
"which  he  will  take,  for  he  will  not  hear  of  an  atonement 
unless  he  be  not  called  on  to  pay  any  fine  for  what  he  has  just 
done,  but  he  will  have  fines  for  Njal  and  his  sons,  so  far  as  his 
third  share  goes." 

"  That  is  a  hard  atonement,"  says  Flosi. 

u  For  thee  at  least,"  says  Hall,  "  that  atonement  is  not 
hard,  for  thou  hast  not  the  blood-feud  after  the  sons  of  Sigfus  ; 
their  brothers  have  the  blood-feud,  and  Hamond  the  halt 
after  his  son  ;  but  thou  shalt  now  get  an  atonement  from 
Thorgeir,  for  I  will  now  ride  to  his  house  with  thee,  and 
Thorgeir  will  in  anywise  receive  me  well ;  but  no  man  of  those 
who  are  in  this  quarrel  will  dare  to  sit  in  his  house  on  Fleet- 
lithe  if  they  are  out  of  the  atonement,  for  that  will  be  their 
bane  ;  and,  indeed,  with  Thorgeir  s  turn  of  mind,  it  is  only 
what  must  be  looked  for." 

Now  the  sons  of  Sigfus  were  sent  for,  and  they  brought 
this  business  before  them ;  and  the  end  of  their  speech  was, 
on  the  persuasion  of  Hall,  that  they  all  thought  what  he  said 
right,  and  were  ready  to  be  atoned. 

Grani  Gunnar's  son  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  said — 


THE  AWARD  OF  ATONEMENT.  303 


u  It  will  be  in  our  power,  if  Kari  be  left  alone  behind,  to 
take  care  that  he  be  not  less  afraid  of  us  than  we  of  him." 

"Easier  said  than  done/'  says  Hall,  "and  ye  will  find  it  a 
dear  bargain  to  deal  with  him.  Ye  will  have  to  pay  a  heavy 
fine  before  you  have  done  with  him." 

After  that  they  ceased  speaking  about  it. 


CHAPTER  CXLVI. 

THE  AWARD  OF  ATONEMENT  WITH  THORGEIR  CRAGGEIR. 

Hall  of  the  Side  and  his  son  Kol,  seven  of  them  in  all,  rode 
west  over  Loomnip's  Sand,  and  so  west  over  Arnstacksheath, 
and  did  not  draw  bridle  till  they  came  into  Myrdale.  There 
they  asked  whether  Thorgeir  would  be  at  home  at  Holt,  and 
they  were  told  that  they  would  find  him  at  home. 

The  men  asked  whither  Hall  meant  to  go. 

"  Thither  to  Holt,"  he  said. 

They  said  they  were  sure  he  went  on  a  good  errand. 

He  stayed  there  some  while  and  baited  their  horses,  and 
after  that  they  mounted  their  horses  and  rode  to  Solheim  about 
even,  and  they  were  there  that  night,  but  the  day  after  they 
rode  to  Holt. 

Thorgeir  was  out  of  doors,  and  Kari  too,  and  their  men,  for 
they  had  seen  H  all's  coming.  He  rode  in  a  blue  cape,  and 
had  a  little  axe  studded  with  silver  in  his  hand ;  but  when 
they  came  into  the  "  town,"  Thorgeir  went  to  meet  him,  and 
helped  him  off  his  horse,  and  both  he  and  Kari  kissed  him  and 
led  him  in  between  them  into  the  sitting-room,  and  sate  him 
down  in  the  high  seat  on  the  dais,  and  they  asked  him  tidings 
about  many  things. 

He  was  there  that  night.  Next  morning  Hall  raised  the 
question  of  the  atonement  with  Thorgeir,  and  told  him  what 
terms  they  offered  him ;  and  he  spoke  about  them  with  many 
fair  and  kindly  words. 

"  It  may  be  well  known  to  thee,"  answers  Thorgeir,  "  that 
I  said  I  would  take  no  atonement  from  the  Burners." 

"That  was  quite  another  matter -then,"  says  Hall;  "ye 
were  then  wroth  with  fight,  and,  besides,  ye  have  done  great 
deeds  in  the  way  of  manslaying  since." 


304    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"  I  daresay  ye  think  so/'  says  Thorgeir,  "  but  what  atone- 
ment do  ye  offer  to  Kari  ?  " 

"  A  fitting  atonement  shall  be  offered  him/'  says  Hall,  "  if 
he  will  take  it." 

Then  Kari  said — 

"  I  pray  this  of  thee,  Thorgeir,  that  thou  wilt  be  atoned, 
for  thy  lot  cannot  be  better  than  good." 

"  Methinks,"  says  Thorgeir,  "  it  is  ill  done  to  take  an  atone- 
ment, and  sunder  myself  from  thee,  unless  thou  takest  the 
same  atonement  as  I." 

"  I  will  not  take  any  atonement,"  says  Kari,  "  but  yet  I  say 
that  we  have  avenged  the  Burning ;  but  my  son,  I  say,  is  still 
unavenged,  and  I  mean  to  take  that  on  myself  alone,  and  see 
what  I  can  get  done." 
r~      But  Thorgeir  would  take  no  atonement  before  Kari  said 
\  that  he  would  take  it  ill  if  he  were  not  atoned.    Then  Thorgeir 
handselled  a  truce  to  Flosi  and  his  men,  as  a  step  to  a  meeting 
for  atonement ;  but  Hall  did  the  same  on  behalf  of  Flosi  and 
j  the  sons  of  Sigfus. 

w  But  ere  they  parted,  Thorgeir  gave  Hall  a  gold  ring  and  a 
scarlet  cloak,  but  Kari  gave  him  a  silver  brooch,  and  there  were 
hung  to  it  four  crosses  of  gold.  Hall  thanked  them  kindly 
for  their  gifts,  and  rode  away  with  the  greatest  honour.  He 
did  not  draw  bridle  till  he  came  to  Swinefell,  and  Flosi  gave 
him  a  hearty  welcome.  Hall  told  Flosi  all  about  his  errand 
and  the  talk  he  had  with  Thorgeir,  and  also  that  Thorgeir 
would  not  take  the  atonement  till  Kari  told  him  he  would 
quarrel  with  him  if  he  did  not  take  it ;  but  that  Kari  would 
take  no  atonement. 

"There  are  few  men  like  Kari,"  said  Flosi,  "and  I  would 
that  my  mind  were  shapen  altogether  like  his." 

Hall  and  Kol  stayed  there  some  while,  and  afterwards  they 
rode  west  at  the  time  agreed  on  to  the  meeting  for  atonement, 
and  met  at  Headbrink,  as  had  been  settled  between  them. 

Then  Thorgeir  came  to  meet  them  from  the  west,  and  then 
they  talked  over  their  atonement,  and  all  went  off  as  Hall  had 
said. 

Before  the  atonement,  Thorgeir  said  that  Kari  should  still 
have  the  right  to  be  at  his  house  all  the  same  if  he  chose. 

"And  neither  side  shall  do  the  others  any  harm  at  my 
house  ;  and  I  will  not  have  the  trouble  of  gathering  in  the 
fines  from  each  of  the  Burners  ;  but  my  will  is  that  Flosi  alone 
shall  be  answerable  for  them  to  me,  but  he  must  get  them  in 


KARI  COMES  TO  BJORN'S  HOUSE.  305 


from  his  followers.  My  will  also  is  that  all  that  award  which 
was  made  at  the  Thing  about  the  Burning  shall  be  kept  and 
held  to  ;  and  my  will  also  is,  Flosi,  that  thou  payest  me  up  my 
third  share  in  undipped  coin/' 

Flosi  went  quickly  into  all  these  terms. 

Thorgeir  neither  gave  up  the  banishment  nor  the  outlawry. 

Now  Flosi  and  Hall  rode  home  east,  and  then  Hall  said  to 
Flosi— 

"Keep  this  atonement  well,  son-in-law,  both  as  to  going 
abroad  and  the  pilgrimage  to  Rome,1  and  the  fines,  and  then 
thou  wilt  be  thought  a  brave  man,  though  thou  hast  stumbled 
into  this  misdeed,  if  thou  fulfillest  handsomely  all  that  belongs 
to  it." 

Flosi  said  it  should  be  so. 

Now  Hall  rode  home  east,  but  Flosi  rode  home  to  Swinefell, 
and  was  at  home  afterwards. 


CHAPTER  CXLVII. 

KARI  COMES  TO  BJORN'S  HOUSE  IN  THE  MARK. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  rode  home  from  the  peace-meeting,  and 
Kari  asked  whether  the  atonement  had  come  about.  Thorgeir 
said  that  they  now  fully  atoned. 

Then  Kari  took  his  horse  and  was  for  riding  away. 

"Thou  hast  no  need  to  ride  away/'  says  Thorgeir,  "for  it 
was  laid  down  in  our  atonement  that  thou  shouldst  be  here  as 
before  if  thou  chosest." 

"  It  shall  not  be  so,  cousin,  for  as  soon  as  ever  I  slay  a  man 
they  will  be  sure  to  say  that  thou  wert  in  the  plot  with  me, 
and  I  will  not  have  that ;  but  I  wish  this,  that  thou  wouldst 
let  me  hand  over  in  trust  to  thee  my  goods,  and  the  estates  of 
me  and  my  wife  Helga  Njal's  daughter,  and  my  three  daughters, 
and  then  they  will  not  be  seized  by  those  adversaries  of  mine/' 

Thorgeir  agreed  to  what  Kari  wished  to  ask  of  him,  and 
then  Thorgeir  had  Kari's  goods  handed  over  to  him  in  trust. 

After  that  Kari  rode  away.  He  had  two  horses  and  his 
weapons  and  outer  clothing,  and  some  ready  money  in  gold 
and  silver. 

1 11  Pilgrimage  to  Rome."    This  condition  had  not  been  mentioned  before. 
20 


306    THE  STOEY  OF  BUENT  NJAL. 


Now  Kari  rode  west  by  Selialandsmull  and  up  along  Mark- 
fleet,  and  so  on  up  into  Thorsmark.  There  there  are  three 
farms  all  called  "  Mark At  the  midmost  farm  dwelt  that 
man  whose  name  was  Bjorn,  and  his  surname  was  Bjorn  the 
white  ;  he  was  the  son  of  Kadal,  the  son  of  Bjalfi.  Bjalfi  had 
been  the  freedman  of  Asgerda,  the  mother  of  Njal  and  Holt- 
Thorir ;  Bjorn  had  to  wife  Valgerda,  she  was  the  daughter  of 
Thorbrand,  the  son  of  Asbrand.  Her  mother's  name  was 
Gudlauga,  she  was  a  sister  of  Hamond,  the  father  of  Gunnar 
of  Lithend  ;  she  was  given  away  to  Bjorn  for  his  money's 
sake,  and  she  did  not  love  him  much,  but  yet  they  had 
children  together,  and  they  had  enough  and  to  spare  in  the 
house. 

Bjorn  was  a  man  who  was  always  boasting  and  praising 
himself,  but  his  housewife  thought  that  bad.  He  was  sharp- 
sighted  and  swift  of  foot. 

Thither  Kari  turned  in  as  a  guest,  and  they  took  him  by 
both  hands,  and  he  was  there  that  night.  But  the  next  morn- 
ing Kari  said  to  Bjorn — 

"  I  wish  thou  wouldst  take  me  in,  for  I  should  think  myself 
well  housed  here  with  thee.  I  would  too  that  thou  shouldst 
be  with  me  in  my  journeyings,  as  thou  art  a  sharp-sighted, 
swift-footed  man,  and  besides  I  think  thou  wouldst  be  dauntless 
in  an  onslaught." 

"  I  can't  blame  myself,"  says  Bjorn,  "  for  wanting  either 
sharp  sight,  or  dash,  or  any  other  bravery ;  but  no  doubt  thou 
earnest  hither  because  all  thy  other  earths  are  stopped.  Still, 
at  thy  prayer,  Kari,  I  will  not  look  on  thee  as  an  everyday  man  ; 
I  will  surely  help  thee  in  all  that  thou  askest." 

"  The  trolls  take  thy  boasting  and  bragging,"  said  his  house- 
wife, "and  thou  shouldst  not  utter  such  stuff  and  silliness  to 
any  one  than  thyself.  As  for  me,  I  will  willingly  give  Kari 
meat  and  other  good  things,  which  I  know  will  be  useful  to 
him  ;  but  on  Bjorn's  hardihood,  Kari,  thou  shalt  not  trust,  for 
I  am  afraid  that  thou  wilt  find  it  quite  otherwise  than  he  says." 

"Often  hast  thou  thrown  blame  upon  me,"  said  Bjorn, 
"  but  for  all  that  I  put  so  much  faith  in  myself  that  though  I 
am  put  to  the  trial  I  will  never  give  way  to  any  man ;  and  the 
best  proof  of  it  is  this,  that  few  try  a  tussle  with  me  because 
none  dare  to  do  so." 

Kari  was  there  some  while  in  hiding,  and  few  men  knew 
of  it. 

Now  men  think  that  Kari  must  have  ridden  to  the  north 


OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS.  307 


country  to  see  Gudmund  the  powerful,  for  Kari  made  Bjorn 
tell  his  neighbours  that  he  had  met  Kari  on  the  beaten  track, 
and  that  he  rode  thence  up  into  Godaland,  and  so  north  to 
Goose-sand,  and  then  north  to  Gudmund  the  powerful  at 
Modruvale. 

So  that  story  was  spread  over  all  the  country. 


CHAPTER  CXLVIII. 

OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS. 

Now  Flosi  spoke  to  the  Burners,  his  companions — 

"  It  will  no  longer  serve  our  turn  to  sit  still,  for  now  we 
shall  have  to  think  of  our  going  abroad  and  of  our  fines,  and  of 
fulfilling  our  atonement  as  bravely  as  we  can,  and  let  us  take  a 
passage  wherever  it  seems  most  likely  to  get  one." 
They  bade  him  see  to  all  that.    Then  Flosi  said — 
w  We  will  ride  east  to  Hornfirth  ;  for  there  that  ship  is  laid 
up,  which  is  owned  by  Eyjolf  nosy,  a  man  from  Drontheim, 
but  he  wants  to  take  to  him  a  wife  here,  and  he  will  not  get 
the  match  made  unless  he"  settles  himself  down  here.    We  will 
buy  the  ship  of  him,  for  we  shall  have  many  men  and  little 
freight.    The  ship  is  big  and  will  take  us  all." 
Then  they  ceased  talking  of  it. 

But  a  little  after  they  rode  east,  and  did  not  stop  before 
they  came  east  to  Bjornness  in  Hornfirth,  and  there  they 
found  Eyjolf,  for  he  had  been  there  as  a  guest  that  winter. 

There  Flosi  and  his  men  had  a  hearty  welcome,  and  they 
were  there  the  night.  Next  morning  Flosi  dealt  with  the 
captain  for  the  ship,  but  he  said  he  would  not  be  hard  to  sell 
the  ship  if  he  could  get  what  he  wanted  for  her.  Flosi  asked 
him  in  what  coin  he  wished  to  be  paid  for  her ;  the  Easterling 
says  he  wanted  land  for  her  near  where  he  then  was. 

Then  Eyjolf  told  Flosi  all  about  his  dealings  with  his  host, 
and  Flosi  says  he  will  pull  an  oar  with  him,  so  that  his  marriage 
bargain  might  be  struck,  and  buy  the  ship  of  him  afterwards. 
The  Easterling  was  glad  at  that.  Flosi  offered  him  land  at 
Borgarhaven,  and  now  the  Easterling  holds  on  with  his  suit  to 
his  host  when  Flosi  was  by,  and  Flosi  threw  in  a  helping  word, 
so  that  the  bargain  was  brought  about  between  them. 


308    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Flosi  made  over  the  land  at  Borgarhaven  to  the  Easterling, 
but  shook  hands  on  the  bargain  for  the  ship.  He  got  also 
from  the  Easterling  twenty  hundreds  in  wares,  and  that  was 
also  in  their  bargain  for  the  land. 

Now  Flosi  rode  back  home.  He  was  so  beloved  by  his 
men  that  their  wares  stood  free  to  him  to  take  either  on  loan 
or  gift,  just  as  he  chose. 

He  rode  home  to  Swinefell,  and  was  at  home  a  while. 

Then  Flosi  sent  Kol  Thorstein's  son  and  Gunnar  Lambi's 
son  east  to  Hornfirth.  They  were  to  be  there  by  the  ship,  and 
to  fit  her  out,  and  set  up  booths,  and  sack  the  wares,  and  get 
all  things  together  that  were  needful. 

Now  we  must  tell  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus  how  they  say  to 
Flosi  that  they  will  ride  west  to  Fleetlithe  to  set  their  houses 
in  order,  and  get  wares  thence,  and  such  other  things  as  they 
needed.  "  Kari  is  not  there  now  to  be  guarded  against,"  they 
say,  "  if  he  is  in  the  north  country  as  is  said." 

"I  know  not,"  answers  Flosi,  "as  to  such  stories,  whether 
there  be  any  truth  in  what  is  said  of  Kari's  journeyings  ;  me- 
thinks,  we  have  often  been  wrong  in  believing  things  which 
are  nearer  to  learn  than  this.  My  counsel  is  that  ye  go  many 
of  you  together,  and  part  as  little  as  ye  can,  and  be  as  wary  ot 
yourselves  as  ye  may.  Thou,  too,  Kettle  of  the  Mark,  shalt 
bear  in  mind  that  dream  which  I  told  thee,  and  which  thou 
prayedst  me  to  hide  ;  for  many  are  those  in  thy  company  who 
were  then  called." 

"  All  must  come  to  pass  as  to  man's  life,"  said  Kettle,  "  as 
it  is  foredoomed ;  but  good  go  with  thee  for  thy  warning." 

Now  they  spoke  no  more  about  it. 

After  that  the  sons  of  Sigfus  busked  them  and  those  men 
with  them  who  were  meant  to  go  with  them.  They  were 
eight  in  all,  and  then  they  rode  away,  and  ere  they  went  they 
kissed  Flosi,  and  he  bade  them  farewell,  and  said  he  and  some 
of  those  who  rode  away  would  not  see  each  other  more.  But 
they  would  not  let  themselves  be  hindered.  They  rode  now 
on  their  way,  and  Flosi  said  that  they  should  take  his  wares 
in  Middleland,  and  carry  them  east,  and  do  the  same  in  Lands- 
breach  and  Woodcombe. 

After  that  they  rode  to  Skaptartongue,  and  so  on  the  fell, 
and  north  of  Eyjafell  Jokul,  and  down  into  Godaland,  and  so 
down  into  the  woods  in  Thorsmark. 

Bjom  of  the  Mark  caught  sight  of  them  coming,  and  went 
at  once  to  meet  them. 


OF  KARI  AND  BJORN.  309 


Then  they  greeted  each  other  well,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus 
asked  after  Kari  Solmund's  son. 

u  I  met  Kari/'  said  Bjorn,  "  and  that  is  now  very  long 
since ;  he  rode  hence  north  on  Goose-sand,  and  meant  to  go 
to  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and  methought  if  he  were  here  now, 
he  would  stand  in  awe  of  you,  for  he  seemed  to  be  left  all 
alone/' 

Grani  Gunnar's  son  said — 

"He  shall  stand  more  in  awe  of  us  yet  before  we  have 
done  with  him,  and  he  shall  learn  that  as  soon  as  ever  he 
comes  within  spearthrow  of  us  ;  but  as  for  us,  we  do  not  fear 
him  at  all,  now  that  he  is  all  alone/' 

Kettle  of  the  Mark  bade  them  be  still,  and  bring  out  no 
big  words. 

Bjorn  asked  when  they  would  be  coming  back. 
"  We  shall  stay  near  a  week  in  Fleetlithe,"  said  they ;  and 
so  they  told  him  when  they  should  be  riding  back  on  the  fell. 
With  that  they  parted. 

Now  the  sons  of  Sigfus  rode  to  their  homes,  and  their 
households  were  glad  to  see  them.  They  were  there  near  a 
week. 

Now  Bjorn  comes  home  and  sees  Kari,  and  told  him  all 
about  the  doings  of  the  sons  of  Sifus,  and  their  purpose. 

Kari  said  he  had  shown  in  this  great  faithfulness  to  him, 
and  Bjorn  said — 

"  I  should  have  thought  there  was  more  risk  of  any  other 
man's  failing  in  that  than  of  me  if  I  had  pledged  my  help  or 
care  to  any  one." 

u  Ah,"  said  his  mistress,  "but  you  may  still  be  bad  and  yet 
not  be  so  bad  as  to  be  a  traitor  to  thy  master." 

Kari  stayed  there  six  nights  after  that. 


CHAPTER  CXLIX. 

OF  KARI  AND  BJORN. 

Now  Kari  talks  to  Bjorn  and  says — 

"We  shall  ride  east  across  the  fell  and  down  into  Skap- 
tartongue,  and  fare  stealthily  over  Flosi's  country,  for  I  have  it 
in  my  mind  to  get  myself  carried  abroad  east  in  Alftafirth," 


310    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


"This  is  a  very  riskful  journey,"  said  Bjorn,  "and  few 
would  have  the  heart  to  take  it  save  thou  and  I." 

"  If  thou  backest  Kari  ill/'  said  his  housewife,  "  know  this, 
that  thou  shalt  never  come  afterwards  into  my  bed,  and  my 
kinsmen  shall  share  our  goods  between  us." 

"  It  is  likelier,  mistress/'  said  he,  "  that  thou  wilt  have  to 
look  out  for  something  else  than  this  if  thou  hast  a  mind  to 
part  from  me  ;  for  I  will  bear  my  own  witness  to  myself  what 
a  champion  and  daredevil  I  am  when  weapons  clash." 

Now  they  rode  that  day  east  on  the  fell  to  the  north  of  the 
Jokul,  but  never  on  the  highway,  and  so  down  into  Skaptar- 
tongue,  and  above  all  the  homesteads  to  Skaptarwater,  and  led 
their  horses  into  a  dell,  but  they  themselves  were  on  the  look- 
out, and  had  so  placed  themselves  that  they  could  not  be  seen. 

Then  Kari  said  to  Bjorn — 

"  What  shall  we  do  now  if  they  ride  down  upon  us  here 
from  the  fell  ?  " 

u  Are  there  not  but  two  things  to  be  done,"  said  Bjorn  ; 
"  one  to  ride  away  from  them  north  under  the  crags,  and  so  let 
them  ride  by  us,  or  to  wait  and  see  if  any  of  them  lag  behind, 
and  then  to  fall  on  them." 

They  talked  much  about  this,  and  one  while  Bjorn  was  for 
flying  as  fast  as  he  could  in  every  word  he  spoke,  and  at  another 
for  staying  and  fighting  it  out  with  them,  and  Kari  thought 
this  the  greatest  sport. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  rode  from  their  homes  the  same  day 
that  they  had  named  to  Bjorn.  They  came  to  the  Mark  and 
knocked  at  the  door  there,  and  wanted  to  see  Bjorn ;  but  his 
mistress  went  to  the  door  and  greeted  them.  They  asked  at 
once  for  Bjorn,  and  she  said  he  had  ridden  away  down  under 
Eyjafell,  and  so  east  under  Selialandsmull,  and  on  east  to  Holt, 
"  for  he  has  some  money  to  call  in  thereabouts,"  she  said. 

They  believed  this,  for  they  knew  that  Bjorn  had  money 
out  at  call  there. 

After  that  they  rode  east  on  the  fell,  and  did  not  stop 
before  they  came  to  Skaptartongue,  and  so  rode  down  along 
Skaptarwater,  and  baited  their  horses  just  where  Kari  had 
thought  they  would.  Then  they  split  their  band.  Kettle  of 
the  Mark  rode  east  into  Middleland,  and  eight  men  with  him, 
but  the  others  laid  them  down  to  sleep,  and  were  not  ware  of 
aught  until  Kari  and  Bjorn  came  up  to  them.  A  little  ness 
ran  out  there  into  the  river ;  into  it  Kari  went  and  took  his 
stand,  and  bade  Bjorn  stand  back  to  back  with  him,  and  not 


OF  KARI  AND  BJORN.  311 


to  put  himself  too  forward,  "but  give  me  all  the  help  thou 
canst ". 

"  Well/'  says  Bjorn,  "  I  never  had  it  in  my  head  that  any 
man  should  stand  before  me  as  a  shield,  but  still  as  things  are 
thou  must  have  thy  way ;  but  for  all  that,  with  my  gift  of  wit 
and  my  swiftness  I  may  be  of  some  use  to  thee,  and  not  harm- 
less to  our  foes." 

Now  they  all  rose  up  and  ran  at  them,  and  Modolf  Kettle's 
son  was  quickest  of  them,  and  thrust  at  Kari  with  his  spear. 
Kari  had  his  shield  before  him,  and  the  blow  fell  on  it,  and  the 
spear  stuck  fast  in  the  shield.  Then  Kari  twists  the  shield 
so  smartly,  that  the  spear  snapped  short  off,  and  then  he  drew 
his  sword  and  smote  at  Modolf ;  but  Modolf  made  a  cut  at  him 
too,  and  Kari's  sword  fell  on  Modolf  s  hilt,  and  glanced  off  it  on 
to  Modolph's  wrist,  and  took  the  arm  off,  and  down  it  fell,  and 
the  sword  too.  Then  Kari's  sword  passed  on  into  Modolf  s 
side,  and  between  his  ribs,  and  so  Modolf  fell  down  and  was 
dead  on  the  spot. 

Grani  Gunnar's  son  snatched  up  a  spear  and  hurled  it  at 
Kari,  but  Kari  thrust  down  his  shield  so  hard  that  the  point 
stood  fast  in  the  ground,  but  with  his  left  hand  he  caught  the 
spear  in  the  air,  and  hurled  it  back  at  Grani,  and  caught  up 
his  shield  again  at  once  with  his  left  hand.  Grani  had  his 
shield  before  him,  and  the  spear  came  on  the  shield  and  passed 
right  through  it,  and  into  Grani's  thigh  just  below  the  small 
guts,  and  through  the  limb,  and  so  on,  pinning  him  to  the 
ground,  and  he  could  not  get  rid  of  the  spear  before  his  fellows 
drew  him  off  it,  and  carried  him  away  on  their  shields,  and  laid 
him  down  in  a  dell. 

There  was  a  man  who  ran  up  to  Kari's  side,  and  meant  to 
cut  off  his  leg,  but  Bjorn  cut  off  that  man's  arm,  and  sprang 
back  again  behind  Kari,  and  they  could  not  do  him  any  hurt. 
Kari  made  a  sweep  at  that  same  man  with  his  sword,  and  cut 
him  asunder  at  the  waist. 

Then  Lambi  Sigfus'  son  rushed  at  Kari,  and  hewed  at  him 
with  his  sword.  Kari  caught  the  blow  sideways  on  his  shield, 
and  the  sword  would  not  bite  ;  then  Kari  thrust  at  Lambi  with 
his  sword  just  below  the  breast,  so  that  the  point  came  out 
between  his  shoulders,  and  that  was  his  deathblow. 

Then  Thorstein  Geirleif's  son  rushed  at  Kari,  and  thought 
to  take  him  in  flank,  but  Kari  caught  sight  of  him,  and  swept 
at  him  with  his  sword  across  the  shoulders,  so  that  the  man 
was  cleft  asunder  at  the  chine. 


312    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


A  little  while  after  he  gave  Gunnar  of  Skal,  a  good  man 
and  true,  his  deathblow.  As  for  Bjorn,  he  had  wounded  three 
men  who  had  tried  to  give  Kari  wounds,  and  yet  he  was  never 
so  far  forward  that  he  was  in  the  least  danger,  nor  was  he 
wounded,  nor  was  either  of  those  companions  hurt  in  that  fight, 
but  all  those  that  got  away  were  wounded. 

Then  they  ran  for  their  horses,  and  galloped  them  off  across 
Skaptarwater  as  hard  as  they  could,  and  they  were  so  scared 
that  they  stopped  at  no  house,  nor  did  they  dare  to  stay  and 
tell  the  tidings  anywhere. 

Kari  and  Bjorn  hooted  and  shouted  after  them  as  they 
galloped  off.  So  they  rode  east  to  Woodcombe,  and  did  not 
draw  bridle  till  they  came  to  Swinefell. 

Flosi  was  not  at  home  when  they  came  thither,  and  that 
was  why  no  hue  and  cry  was  made  thence  after  Kari. 

This  journey  of  theirs  was  thought  most  shameful  by  all 
men. 

Kari  rode  to  Skal,  and  gave  notice  of  these  manslayings  as 
done  by  his  hand ;  there,  too,  he  told  them  of  the  death  of 
their  master  and  five  others,  and  of  Grani's  wound,  and  said 
it  would  be  better  to  bear  him  to  the  house  if  he  were  to 
live. 

Bjorn  said  he  could  not  bear  to  slay  him,  though  he  said 
he  was  worthy  of  death ;  but  those  who  answered  him  said 
they  were  sure  few  had  bitten  the  dust  before  him.  But  Bjorn 
told  them  he  had  it  now  in  his  power,  to  make  as  many  of  the 
Sidemen  as  he  chose  bite  the  dust ;  to  which  they  said  it  was 
a  bad  look  out. 

Then  Kari  and  Bjorn  ride  away  from  the  house. 


CHAPTER  CL. 

MORE  OF  KARI  AND  BJORN. 

Then  Kari  asked  Bjorn — 

"  What  counsel  shall  we  take  now  ?  Now  I  will  try  what 
thy  wit  is  worth." 

"  Dost  thou  think  now/'  answered  Bjorn,  "that  much  lies 
on  our  being  as  wise  as  ever  we  can  ?  " 

"  Ay/'  said  Kari,  "  I  think  so  surely/' 


MORE  OF  KARI  AND  BJORN.  313 


"Then  our  counsel  is  soon  taken,"  says  Bjorn.  "We  will 
cheat  them  all  as  though  they  were  giants  ;  and  now  we  will 
make  as  though  we  were  riding  north  on  the  fell,  but  as  soon 
as  ever  we  are  out  of  sight  behind  the  brae,  we  will  turn 
down  along  Skaptarwater,  and  hide  us  there  where  we  think 
handiest,  so  long  as  the  hue  and  cry  is  hottest,  if  they  ride 
after  us." 

"So  will  we  do,"  said  Kari ;  "and  this  I  had  meant  to  do 
all  along." 

"And  so  you  may  put  it  to  the  proof,"  said  Bjorn,  "that 
I  am  no  more  of  an  everyday  body  in  wit  than  I  am  in 
bravery." 

Now  Kari  and  his  companion  rode  as  they  had  purposed 
down  along  Skaptarwater,  till  they  came  where  a  branch  of 
the  stream  ran  away  to  the  south-east ;  then  they  turned 
down  along  the  middle  branch,  and  did  not  draw  bridle  till 
they  came  into  Middleland,  and  on  that  moor  which  is  called 
Kringlemire  ;  it  has  a  stream  of  lava  all  around  it. 

Then  Kari  said  to  Bjorn  that  he  must  watch  their  horses, 
and  keep  a  good  look-out ;  "  but  as  for  me,"  he  says,  "  I  am 
heavy  with  sleep  ". 

So  Bjorn  watched  the  horses,  but  Kari  lay  him  down,  and 
slept  but  a  very  short  while  ere  Bjorn  waked  him  up  again, 
and  he  had  already  led  their  horses  together,  and  they  were 
by  their  side.    Then  Bjorn  said  to  Kari — 

"  Thou  standest  in  much  need  of  me,  though !  A  man 
might  easily  have  run  away  from  thee  if  he  had  not  been  as 
brave-hearted  as  I  am ;  for  now  thy  foes  are  riding  upon  thee, 
and  so  thou  must  up  and  be  doing." 

Then  Kari  went  away  under  a  jutting  crag,  and  Bjorn 
said — 

"Where  shall  I  stand  now?" 

"Well!"  answers  Kari,  "now  there  are  two  choices  before 
thee  ;  one  is,  that  thou  standest  at  my  back  and  have  my 
shield  to  cover  thyself  with,  if  it  can  be  of  any  use  to  thee  ; 
and  the  other  is,  to  get  on  thy  horse  and  ride  away  as  fast  as 
thou  canst." 

"  Nay,"  says  Bjorn,  "  I  will  not  do  that,  and  there  are 
many  things  against  it ;  first  of  all,  may  be,  if  I  ride  away, 
some  spiteful  tongues  might  begin  to  say  that  I  ran  away  from 
thee  for  faintheartedness  ;  and  another  thing  is,  that  I  well 
know  what  game  they  will  think  there  is  in  me,  and  so  they 
will  ride  after  me,  two  or  three  of  them,  and  then  I  should  be 


314    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


of  no  use  or  help  to  thee  after  all.  No!  I  will  rather  stand 
by  thee  and  keep  them  off  so  long  as  it  is  fated." 

Then  they  had  not  long  to  wait  ere  horses  with  pack- 
saddles  were  driven  by  them  over  the  moor,  and  with  them 
went  three  men. 

Then  Kari  said — 

"These  men  see  us  not." 

"Then  let  us  suffer  them  to  ride  on,"  said  Bjorn. 

So  those  three  rode  on  past  them ;  but  the  six  others  then 
came  riding  right  up  to  them,  and  they  all  leapt  off  their 
horses  straightway  in  a  body,  and  turned  on  Kari  and  his 
companion. 

First,  Glum  Hilldir's  son  rushed  at  them,  and  thrust  at 
Kari  with  a  spear ;  Kari  turned  short  round  on  his  heel,  and 
Glum  missed  him,  and  the  blow  fell  against  the  rock.  Bjorn 
sees  that,  and  hewed  at  once  the  head  off  Glum's  spear.  Kari 
leant  on  one  side  and  smote  at  Glum  with  his  sword,  and  the 
blow  fell  on  his  thigh,  and  took  off  the  limb  high  up  in  the 
thigh,  and  Glum  died  at  once. 

Then  Vebrand  and  Asbrand  the  sons  of  Thorbrand  ran  up 
to  Kari,  but  Kari  flew  at  Vebrand  and  thrust  his  sword  through 
him,  but  afterwards  he  hewed  off  both  of  Asbrand's  feet  from 
under  him. 

In  this  bout  both  Kari  and  Bjorn  were  wounded. 

Then  Kettle  of  the  Mark  rushed  at  Kari,  and  thrust  at  him 
with  his  spear.  Kari  threw  up  his  leg,  and  the  spear  stuck  in 
the  ground,  and  Kari  leapt  on  the  spear-shaft,  and  snapped  it 
in  sunder. 

Then  Kari  grasped  Kettle  in  his  arms,  and  Bjorn  ran  up 
just  then,  and  wanted  to  slay  him,  but  Kari  said — 

"  Be  still  now.  I  will  give  Kettle  peace ;  for  though  it 
may  be  that  Kettle's  life  is  in  my  power,  still  I  will  never  slay 
him." 

Kettle  answers  never  a  word,  but  rode  away  after  his 
companions,  and  told  those  the  tidings  who  did  not  know 
them  already. 

They  told  also  these  tidings  to  the  men  of  the  Hundred, 
and  they  gathered  together  at  once  a  great  force  of  armed 
men,  and  went  straightway  up  all  the  water-courses,  and  so 
far  up  on  the  fell  that  they  were  three  days  in  the  chase ;  but 
after  that  they  turned  back  to  their  own  homes,  but  Kettle 
and  his  companions  rode  east  to  Swinefell,  and  told  the 
tidings  there. 


KARI  AND  BJORN  AND  THORGEIR.  315 


Flosi  was  little  stirred  at  what  had  befallen  them,  but  said 
no  one  could  tell  whether  things  would  stop  there,  "  for  there 
is  no  man  like  Kari  of  all  that  are  now  left  in  Iceland  ". 


CHAPTER  CLI. 

OF  KARI  AND  BJORN  AND  THORGEIR. 

Now  we  must  tell  of  Bjorn  and  Kari  that  they  ride  down  on 
the  Sand,  and  lead  their  horses  under  the  banks  where  the 
wild  oats  grew,  and  cut  the  oats  for  them,  that  they  might 
not  die  of  hunger.  Kari  made  such  a  near  guess,  that  he  rode 
away  thence  at  the  very  time  that  they  gave  over  seeking  for 
him.  He  rode  by  night  up  through  the  Hundred,  and  after 
that  he  took  to  the  fell ;  and  so  on  all  the  same  way  as  they 
had  followed  when  they  rode  east,  and  did  not  stop  till  they 
came  to  Midmark. 

Then  Bjorn  said  to  Kari — 

"  Now  shalt  thou  be  my  great  friend  before  my  mistress, 
for  she  will  never  believe  one  word  of  what  I  say ;  but  every- 
thing lies  on  what  you  do,  so  now  repay  me  for  the  good 
following  which  I  have  yielded  to  thee." 

"So  it  shall  be ;  never  fear,"  says  Kari. 

After  that  they  ride  up  to  the  homestead,  and  then  the 
mistress  asked  them  what  tidings,  and  greeted  them  well. 

"  Our  troubles  have  rather  grown  greater,  old  lass  !  " 

She  answered  little,  and  laughed ;  and  then  the  mistress 
went  on  to  ask — 

u  How  did  Bjorn  behave  to  thee,  Kari  ?  " 

"Bare  is  back,"  he  answers,  "without  brother  behind  it, 
and  Bjorn  behaved  well  to  me.  He  wounded  three  men,  and, 
besides,  he  is  wounded  himself,  and  he  stuck  as  close  to  me  as 
he  could  in  everything." 

They  were  three  nights  there,  and  after  that  they  rode  to 
Holt  to  Thorgeir,  and  told  him  alone  these  tidings,  for  those 
tidings  had  not  yet  been  heard  there. 

Thorgeir  thanked  him,  and  it  was  quite  plain  that  he  was 
glad  at  what  he  heard.  He  asked  Kari  what  now  was  undone 
which  he  meant  to  do. 

et  I  mean,"  answers  Kari,  "  to  kill  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  and 


316    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Kol  Thorstein's  son,  if  I  can  get  a  chance.  Then  we  have 
slain  fifteen  men,  reckoning  those  five  whom  we  two  slew 
together.    But  one  boon  I  will  now  ask  of  thee." 

Thorgeir  said  he  would  grant  him  whatever  he  asked. 

"  I  wish,  then,  that  thou  wilt  take  under  thy  safeguard  this 
man  whose  name  is  Bjorn,  and  who  has  been  in  these  slayings 
with  me,  and  that  thou  wilt  change  farms  with  him,  and  give 
him  a  farm  ready  stocked  here  close  by  thee,  and  so  hold  thy 
hand  over  him  that  no  vengeance  may  befall  him  ;  but  all  this 
will  be  an  easy  matter  for  thee  who  art  such  a  chief." 

"  So  it  shall  be/'  says  Thorgeir. 

Then  he  gave  Bjorn  a  ready-stocked  farm  at  Asolfskal,  but 
he  took  the  farm  in  the  Mark  into  his  own  hands.  Thorgeir 
flitted  all  Bjorn's  household  stuff  and  goods  to  Asolfskal,  and  all 
his  live  stock  ;  and  Thorgeir  settled  all  Bjorn's  quarrels  for  him, 
and  he  was  reconciled  to  them  with  a  full  atonement.  So 
Bjorn  was  thought  to  be  much  more  of  a  man  than  he  had  been 
before. 

Then  Kari  rode  away,  and  did  not  draw  rein  till  he  came 
west  to  Tongue  to  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son.  He  gave  Kari  a 
most  hearty  welcome,  and  Kari  told  him  of  all  the  tidings  that 
had  happened  in  these  slayings. 

Asgrim  was  well  pleased  at  them,  and  asked  what  Kari 
meant  to  do  next. 

• "  I  mean,"  said  Kari,  <c  to  fare  abroad  after  them,  and  so  dog 
their  footsteps  and  slay  them,  if  I  can  get  at  them." 

Asgrim  said  there  was  no  man  like  him  for  bravery  and 
hardihood. 

He  was  there  some  nights,  and  after  that  he  rode  to  Gizur 
the  white,  and  he  took  him  by  both  hands.  Kari  stayed  there 
some  while,  and  then  he  told  Gizur  that  he  wished  to  ride 
down  to  Eyrar. 

ffizur  gave  Kari  a  good  sword  at  parting. 

Now  he  rode  down  to  Eyrar,  and  took  him  a  passage  with 
Kolbein  the  black  ;  he  was  an  Orkney  man  and  an  old  friend  of 
Kari,  and  he  was  the  most  forward  and  brisk  of  men. 

He  took  Kari  by  both  hands,  and  said  that  one  fate  should 
befall  both  of  them. 


FLOSI  GOES  ABROAD.  317 


CHAPTER  CLII. 

FLOSI  GOES  ABROAD. 

Now  Flosi  rides  east  to  Hornfirth,  and  most  of  the  men  in  his 
Thing  followed  him,  and  bore  his  wares  east,  as  well  as  all  his 
stores  and  baggage  which  he  had  to  take  with  him. 

After  that  they  busked  them  for  their  voyage,  and  fitted 
out  their  ship. 

Now  Flosi  stayed  by  the  ship  until  they  were  "boun". 
But  as  soon  as  ever  they  got  a  fair  wind  they  put  out  to  sea. 
They  had  a  long  passage  and  hard  weather. 

Then  they  quite  lost  their  reckoning,  and  sailed  on  and  on, 
and  all  at  once  three  great  waves  broke  over  their  ship,  one 
after  the  other.  Then  Flosi  said  they  must  be  near  some  land, 
and  that  this  was  a  ground-swell.  A  great  mist  was  on  them, 
but  the  wind  rose  so  that  a  great  gale  overtook  them,  and  they 
scarce  knew  where  they  were  before  they  were  dashed  on 
shore  at  dead  of  night,  and  the  men  were  saved,  but  the 
ship  was  dashed  all  to  pieces,  and  they  could  not  save  their 
goods. 

Then  they  had  to  look  for  shelter  and  warmth  for  them- 
selves, and  the  day  after  they  went  up  on  a  height.  The 
weather  was  then  good. 

Flosi  asked  if  any  man  knew  this  land,  and  there  were  two 
men  of  their  crew  who  had  fared  thither  before,  and  said  they 
were  quite  sure  they  knew  it,  and,  say  they — 

"We  are  come  to  Hrossey  in  the  Orkneys." 

"  Then  we  might  have  made  a  better  landing,"  said  Flosi, 
"for  Grim  and  Helgi,  Njal's  sons,  whom  I  slew,  were  both  of 
them  of  Earl  Sigurd  Hlodver's  son's  bodyguard." 

Then  they  sought  for  a  hiding-place,  and  spread  moss  over 
themselves,  and  so  lay  for  a  while,  but  not  for  long,  ere  Flosi 
spoke  and  said — 

"  We  will  not  lie  here  any  longer  until  the  landsmen  are 
ware  of  us." 

Then  they  arose,  and  took  counsel,  and  then  Flosi  said  to 
his  men — 

"  We  will  go  all  of  us  and  give  ourselves  up  to  the  Earl ; 
for  there  is  naught  else  to  do,  and  the  Earl  has  our  lives  at  his 
pleasure  if  he  chooses  to  seek  for  them." 


318    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Then  they  all  went  away  thence,  and  Flosi  said  that  they 
must  tell  no  man  any  tidings  of  their  voyage,  or  what  manner 
of  men  they  were,  before  he  told  them  to  the  Earl. 

Then  they  walked  on  until  they  met  men  who  showed  them 
to  the  town,  and  then  they  went  in  before  the  Earl,  and  Flosi 
and  all  the  others  hailed  him. 

The  Earl  asked  what  men  they  might  be,  and  Flosi  told  his 
name,  and  said  out  of  what  part  of  Iceland  he  was. 

The  Earl  had  already  heard  of  the  Burning,  and  so  he  knew 
the  men  at  once,  and  then  the  Earl  asked  Flosi — ' '  What  hast 
thou  to  tell  me  about  Helgi  Njal's  son,  my  henchman  ?  " 

"This,"  said  Flosi,  "that  I  hewed  off  his  head." 

"  Take  them  all,"  said  the  Earl. 

Then  that  was  done,  and  just  then  in  came  Thorstein,  son 
of  Hall  of  the  Side.  Flosi  had  to  wife  Steinvora,  Thorstein's 
sister.  Thorstein  was  one  of  Earl  Sigurd's  bodyguard,  but 
when  he  saw  Flosi  seized  and  held,  he  went  in  before  the  Earl, 
and  offered  for  Flosi  all  the  goods  he  had. 

The  Earl  was  very  wroth  a  long  time,  but  at  last  the  end 
of  it  was,  by  the  prayer  of  good  men  and  true,  joined  to  those 
of  Thorstein,  for  he  was  well  backed  by  friends,  and  many 
threw  in  their  word  with  his,  that  the  Earl  took  an  atonement 
from  them,  and  gave  Flosi  and  all  the  rest  of  them  peace.  The 
Earl  held  to  that  custom  of  mighty  men  that  Flosi  took  that 
place  in  his  service  which  Helgi  Njal's  son  had  filled. 

So  Flosi  was  made  Earl  Sigurd's  henchman,  and  he  soon 
won  his  way  to  great  love  with  the  Earl. 


CHAPTER  CLIII. 

KARI  GOES  ABROAD. 

Those  messmates  Kari  and  Kolbein  the  black  put  out  to  sea 
from  Eyrar  half  a  month  later  than  Flosi  and  his  companions 
from  Hornfirth. 

They  got  a  fine  fair  wind,  and  were  but  a  short  time  out. 
The  first  land  they  made  was  the  Fair  Isle  ;  it  lies  between 
Shetland  and  the  Orkneys.  There  that  man  whose  name  was 
David  the  white  took  Kari  into  his  house,  and  he  told  him  all 
that  he  had  heard  for  certain  about  the  doings  of  the  Burners. 


KARI  GOES  ABROAD.  319 


He  was  one  of  Kari's  greatest  friends,  and  Kari  stayed  with 
him  for  the  winter. 

There  they  heard  tidings  from  the  west  out  of  the  Orkneys 
of  all  that  was  done  there. 

Earl  Sigurd  bade  to  his  feast  at  Yule  Earl  Gilli,  his  brother- 
in-law,  out  of  the  Southern  Isles  ;  he  had  to  wife  Swanlauga, 
Earl  Sigurd's  sister  ;  and  then  too  came  to  see  Earl  Sigurd  that 
king  from  Ireland  whose  name  was  Sig try gg.  He  was  a  son 
of  Olaf  rattle,  but  his  mother's  name  was  Kormlada ;  she  was 
the  fairest  of  all  women,  and  best  gifted  in  everything  that  was 
not  in  her  own  power,  but  it  was  the  talk  of  men  that  she  did 
all  things  ill  over  which  she  had  any  power. 

Brian  was  the  name  of  the  king  who  first  had  her  to  wife, 
but  they  were  then  parted.  He  was  the  best-natured  of  all 
kings.  He  had  his  seat  in  Connaught,  in  Ireland  ;  his  brother's 
name  was  Wolf  the  quarrelsome,  the  greatest  champion  and 
warrior ;  Brian's  foster-child's  name  was  Kerthialfad.  He  was 
the  son  of  King  Kylfi,  who  had  many  wars  with  King  Brian, 
and  fled  away  out  of  the  land  before  him,  and  became  a 
hermit ;  but  when  King  Brian  went  south  on  a  pilgrimage, 
then  he  met  King  Kylfi,  and  then  they  were  atoned,  and  King 
Brian  took  his  son  Kerthialfad  to  him,  and  loved  him  more 
than  his  own  sons.  He  was  then  full  grown  when  these  things 
happened,  and  was  the  boldest  of  all  men. 

Duncan  was  the  name  of  the  first  of  King  Brian's  sons  ;  the 
second  was  Margad  ;  the  third,  Takt,  whom  we  call  Tann,  he 
was  the  youngest  of  them ;  but  the  elder  sons  of  King  Brian 
were  full  grown,  and  the  briskest  of  men. 

Kormlada  was  not  the  mother  of  King  Brian's  children, 
and  so  grim  was  she  against  King  Brian  after  their  parting, 
that  she  would  gladly  have  him  dead. 

King  Brian  thrice  forgave  all  his  outlaws  the  same  fault, 
but  if  they  misbehaved  themselves  oftener,  then  he  let  them 
be  judged  by  the  law ;  and  from  this  one  may  mark  what  a 
king  he  must  have  been. 

Kormlada  egged  on  her  son  Sigtrygg  very  much  to  kill 
King  Brian,  and  she  now  sent  him  to  Earl  Sigurd  to  beg  for 
help. 

King  Sigtrygg  came  before  Yule  to  the  Orkneys,  and  there, 
too,  came  Earl  Gilli,  as  was  written  before. 

The  men  were  so  placed  that  King  Sigtrygg  sat  in  a  high 
seat  in  the  middle,  but  on  either  side  of  the  king  sat  one  of 
the  earls.    The  men  of  King  Sigtrygg  and  Earl  Gilli  sate  on 


320    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


the  inner  side  away  from  him,  but  on  the  outer  side  away 
from  Earl  Sigurd,  sate  Flosi  and  Thorstein,  son  of  Hall  of  the 
Side,  and  the  whole  hall  was  full. 

Now  King  Sigtrygg  and  Earl  Gilli  wished  to  hear  of  these 
tidings  which  had  happened  at  the  Burning,  and  so,  also,  what 
had  befallen  since. 

Then  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  was  got  to  tell  the  tale,  and 
a  stool  was  set  for  him  to  sit  upon. 


CHAPTER  CLIV. 

GUNNAR  LAMBI'S  SON'S  SLAYING. 

Just  at  that  very  time  Kari  and  Kolbein  and  David  the  white 
came  to  Hrossey  unawares  to  all  men.  They  went  straight- 
way up  on  land,  but  a  few  men  watched  their  ship. 

Kari  and  his  fellows  went  straight  to  the  Earl's  homestead, 
and  came  to  the  hall  about  drinking  time. 

It  so  happened  that  just  then  Gunnar  was  telling  the  story 
of  the  Burning,  but  they  were  listening  to  him  meanwhile 
outside.    This  was  on  Yule-day  itself. 

Now  King  Sigtrygg  asked — 

"  How  did  Skarphedinn  bear  the  Burning  ?  " 

"  Well  at  first  for  a  long  time/'  said  Gunnar,  u  but  still  the 
end  of  it  was  that  he  wept."  And  so  he  went  on  giving  an 
unfair  leaning  in  his  story,  but  every  now  and  then  he  laughed 
out  loud. 

Kari  could  not  stand  this,  and  then  he  ran  in  with  his 
sword  drawn,  and  sang  this  song — 

Men  of  might,  in  battle  eager, 
Boast  of  burning  Njal's  abode, 
Have  the  Princes  heard  how  sturdy 
Seahorse  racers  sought  revenge  ?  - 
Hath  not  since,  on  foemen  holding 
High  the  shield's  broad  orb  aloft, 
All  that  wrong  been  fully  wroken  ? 
Raw  flesh  ravens  got  to  tear. 

So  he  ran  in  up  the  hall,  and  smote  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  on 
the  neck  with  such  a  sharp  blow,  that  his  head  spun  otF  on  to 
the  board  before  the  king  and  the  earls,  and  the  board  was  all 
one  gore  of  blood,  and  the  Earl's  clothing  too. 


GUNNAR  LAMBI'S  SON'S  SLAYING.  321 


Earl  Sigurd  knew  the  man  that  had  done  the  deed,  and 
called  out — 

"  Seize  Kari  and  kill  him." 

Kari  had  been  one  of  Earl  Sigurd's  bodyguard,  and  he  was 
of  all  men  most  beloved  by  his  friends  ;  and  no  man  stood  up 
a  whit  more  for  the  Earl's  speech. 

"  Many  would  say,  Lord,"  said  Kari,  "  that  I  have  done 
this  deed  on  your  behalf,  to  avenge  your  henchman." 

Then  Flosi  said — "Kari  hath  not  done  this  without  a 
cause  ;  he  is  in  no  atonement  with  us,  and  he  only  did  what 
he  had  a  right  to  do  ". 

So  Kari  walked  away,  and  there  was  no  hue  and  cry  after 
him.  Kari  fared  to  his  ship,  and  his  fellows  with  him.  The 
weather  was  then  good,  and  they  sailed  off  at  once  south  to 
Caithness,  and  went  on  shore  at  Thraswick  to  the  house  of 
a  worthy  man  whose  name  was  Skeggi,  and  with  him  they 
stayed  a  very  long  while. 

Those  behind  in  the  Orkneys  cleansed  the  board,  and  bore 
out  the  dead  man. 

The  Earl  was  told  that  they  had  set  sail  south  for  Scotland, 
and  King  Sigtrygg  said — 

"  This  was  a  mighty  bold  fellow,  who  dealt  his  stroke  so 
stoutly,  and  never  thought  twice  about  it ! " 

Then  Earl  Sigurd  answered — 

"There  is  no  man  like  Kari  for  dash  and  daring." 

Now  Flosi  undertook  to  tell  the  story  of  the  Burning,  and 
he  was  fair  to  all ;  and  therefore  what  he  said  was  believed. 

Then  King  Sigtrygg  stirred  in  his  business  with  Earl 
Sigurd,  and  bade  him  go  to  the  war  with  him  against  King 
Brian. 

The  Earl  was  long  steadfast,  but  the  end  of  it  was  that  he 
let  the  king  have  his  way,  but  said  he  must  have  his  mother's 
hand  for  his  help,  and  be  king  in  Ireland,  if  they  slew  Brian. 
But  all  his  men  besought  Earl  Sigurd  not  to  go  into  the  war, 
but  it  was  all  no  good. 

So  they  parted  on  the  understanding  that  Earl  Sigurd  gave 
his  word  to  go ;  but  King  Sigtrygg  promised  him  his  mother 
and  the  kingdom. 

It  was  so  settled  that  Earl  Sigurd  was  to  come  with  all  his 
host  to  Dublin  by  Palm  Sunday. 

Then  King  Sigtrygg  fared  south  to  Ireland,  and  told  his 
mother  Kormlada  that  the  Earl  had  undertaken  to  come,  and 
also  what  he  had  pledged  himself  to  grant  him. 

21 


322    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


She  showed  herself  well  pleased  at  that,  but  said  they 
must  gather  greater  force  still. 

Sigtrygg  asked  whence  this  was  to  be  looked  for  ? 

She  said  there  were  two  vikings  lying  off  the  west  of  Man ; 
and  that  they  had  thirty  ships,  and,  she  went  on,  "they  are 
men  of  such  hardihood  that  nothing  can  withstand  them.  The 
one's  name  is  Ospak,  and  the  other's  Brodir.  Thou  shalt  fare 
to  find  them,  and  spare  nothing  to  get  them  into  thy  quarrel, 
whatever  price  they  ask." 

Now  King  Sigtrygg  fares  and  seeks  the  vikings,  and  found 
them  lying  outside  off  Man  ;  King  Sigtrygg  brings  forward  his 
errand  at  once,  but  Brodir  shrank  from  helping  him  until  he, 
King  Sigtrygg,  promised  him  the  kingdom  and  his  mother, 
and  they  were  to  keep  this  such  a  secret  that  Earl  Sigurd 
should  know  nothing  about  it ;  Brodir  too  was  to  come  to 
Dublin  on  Palm  Sunday. 

So  King  Sigtrygg  fared  home  to  his  mother,  and  told  her 
how  things  stood. 

After  that  those  brothers,  Ospak  and  Brodir,  talked  together, 
and  then  Brodir  told  Ospak  all  that  he  and  Sigtrygg  had  spoken 
of,  and  bade  him  fare  to  battle  with  him  against  King  Brian, 
and  said  he  set  much  store  on  his  going. 

But  Ospak  said  he  would  not  fight  against  so  good  a  king. 

Then  they  were  both  wroth,  and  sundered  their  band  at 
once.    Ospak  had  ten  ships  and  Brodir  twenty. 

Ospak  was  a  heathen,  and  the  wisest  of  all  men.  He  laid 
his  ships  inside  in  a  sound,  but  Brodir  lay  outside  him. 

Brodir  had  been  a  Christian  man  and  a  mass-deacon  by 
consecration,  but  he  had  thrown  off  his  faith  and  become  God's 
dastard,  and  now  worshipped  heathen  fiends,  and  he  was  of  all 
men  most  skilled  in  sorcery.  He  had  that  coat  of  mail  on 
which  no  steel  would  bite.  He  was  both  tall  and  strong,  and 
had  such  long  locks  that  he  tucked  them  under  his  belt.  His 
hair  was  black.  \ 


OF  SIGNS  AND  WONDERS.  323 


CHAPTER  CLV. 

OF  SIGNS  AND  WONDERS. 

It  so  happened  one  night  that  a  great  din  passed  over  Brodir 
and  his  men,  so  that  they  all  woke,  and  sprang  up  and  put  on 
their  clothes. 

Along  with  that  came  a  shower  of  boiling  blood. 

Then  they  covered  themselves  with  their  shields,  but  for 
all  that  many  were  scalded. 

This  wonder  lasted  all  till  day,  and  a  man  had  died  on 
board  every  ship. 

Then  they  slept  during  the  day,  but  the  second  night  there 
was  again  a  din,  and  again  they  all  sprang  up.  Then  swords 
leapt  out  of  their  sheaths,  and  axes  and  spears  flew  about  in 
the  air  and  fought. 

The  weapons  pressed  them  so  hard  that  they  had  to  shield 
themselves,  but  still  many  were  wounded,  and  again  a  man 
died  out  of  every  ship. 

This  wonder  lasted  all  till  day. 

Then  they  slept  again  the  day  after. 

But  the  third  night  there  was  a  din  of  the  same  kind,  and 
then  ravens  flew  at  them,  and  it  seemed  to  them  as  though 
their  beaks  and  claws  were  of  iron. 

The  ravens  pressed  them  so  hard  that  they  had  to  keep 
them  off  with  their  swords,  and  covered  themselves  with  their 
shields,  and  so  this  went  on  again  till  day,  and  then  another 
man  had  died  in  every  ship. 

Then  they  went  to  sleep  first  of  all,  but  when  Brodir  woke 
up,  he  drew  his  breath  painfully,  and  bade  them  put  off  the 
boat.    "For/'  he  said,  "I  will  go  to  see  Ospak." 

Then  he  got  into  the  boat  and  some  men  with  him,  but 
when  he  found  Ospak  he  told  him  of  the  wonders  which 
had  befallen  them,  and  bade  him  say  what  he  thought  they 
boded 

Ospak  would  not  tell  him  before  he  pledged  him  peace, 
and  Brodir  promised  him  peace,  but  Ospak  still  shrank  from 
telling  him  till  night  fell. 

Then  Ospak  spoke  and  said — "  When  blood  rained  on 
you,  therefore  shall  ye  shed  many  men's  blood,  both  of  your 
own  and  others.    But  when  ye  heard  a  great  din,  then  ye 


324    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


must  have  been  shown  the  crack  of  doom,  and  ye  shall  all  die 
speedily.  But  when  weapons  fought  against  you,  that  must 
forbode  a  battle  ;  but  when  ravens  pressed  you,  that  marks  the 
devils  which  ye  put  faith  in,  and  who  will  drag  you  all  down 
to  the  pains  of  hell." 

Then  Brodir  was  so  wroth  that  he  could  answer  never  a 
word,  but  he  went  at  once  to  his  men,  and  made  them  lay  his 
ships  in  a  line  across  the  sound,  and  moor  them  by  bearing 
their  cables  on  shore  at  either  end  of  the  line,  and  meant  to 
slay  them  all  next  morning. 

Ospak  saw  all  their  plan,  and  then  he  vowed  to  take  the 
true  faith,  and  to  go  to  King  Brian,  and  follow  him  till  his 
death-day. 

Then  he  took  that  counsel  to  lay  his  ships  in  a  line,  and 
punt  them  along  the  shore  with  poles,  and  cut  the  cables  of 
Brodir's  ships.  Then  the  ships  of  Brodir's  men  began  to  fall 
aboard  of  one  another  when  they  were  all  fast  asleep ;  and  so 
Ospak  and  his  men  got  out  of  the  firth,  and  so  west  to  Ireland, 
and  came  to  Connaught. 

Then  Ospak  told  King  Brian  all  that  he  had  learnt,  and 
took  baptism,  and  gave  himself  over  into  the  king's  hand. 

After  that  King  Brian  made  them  gather  force  over  all  his 
realm,  and  the  whole  host  was  to  come  to  Dublin  in  the  week 
before  Palm  Sunday. 


CHAPTER  CLVI. 

BRIAN'S  BATTLE. 

Earl  Sigurd  Hlodver's  son  busked  him  from  the  Orkneys,  and 
Flosi  offered  to  go  with  him. 

The  Earl  would  not  have  that,  since  he  had  his  pilgrimage 
to  fulfil. 

Flosi  offered  fifteen  men  of  his  band  to  go  on  the  voyage, 
and  the  Earl  accepted  them,  but  Flosi  fared  with  Earl  Gilli  to 
the  Southern  Isles. 

Thorstein,  the  Son  of  Hall  of  the  Side,  went  along  with 
Earl  Sigurd,  and  Hrafn  the  red,  and  Erling  of  Straumey. 

He  would  not  that  Hareck  should  go,  but  said  he  would 
be  sure  to  be  the  first  to  tell  him  the  tidings  of  his  voyage. 


BRIAN'S  BATTLE.  325 


The  Earl  came  with  all  his  host  on  Palm  Sunday  to  Dublin, 
and  there  too  was  come  Brodir  with  all  his  host. 

Brodir  tried  by  sorcery  how  the  fight  would  go,  but  the 
answer  ran  thus,  that  if  the  fight  were  on  Good  Friday  King 
Brian  would  fall  but  win  the  day ;  but  if  they  fought  before, 
they  would  all  fall  who  were  against  him. 

Then  Brodir  said  that  they  must  not  fight  before  the 
Friday. 

On  the  fifth  day  of  the  week  a  man  rode  up  to  Kormlada 
and  her  company  on  an  apple-grey  horse,  and  in  his  hand  he 
held  a  halberd ;  he  talked  long  with  them. 

King  Brian  came  with  all  his  host  to  the  Burg,  and  on  the 
Friday  the  host  fared  out  of  the  Burg,  and  both  armies  were 
drawn  up  in  array. 

Brodir  was  on  one  wing  of  the  battle,  but  King  Sigtrygg 
on  the  other. 

Earl  Sigurd  was  in  the  mid  battle. 

Now  it  must  be  told  of  King  Brian  that  he  would  not  fight 
on  the  fast-day,  and  so  a  shieldburg  1  was  thrown  round  him, 
and  his  host  was  drawn  up  in  array  in  front  of  it. 

Wolf  the  quarrelsome  was  on  that  wing  of  the  battle  against 
which  Brodir  stood ;  but  on  the  other  wing,  where  Sigtrygg 
stood  against  them,  were  Ospak  and  his  sons. 

But  in  mid  battle  was  Kerthialfad,  and  before  him  the 
banners  were  borne. 

Now  the  wings  fall  on  one  another,  and  there  was  a  very 
hard  fight.  Brodir  went  through  the  host  of  the  foe,  and 
felled  all  the  foremost  that  stood  there,  but  no  steel  would 
bite  on  his  mail. 

Wolf  the  quarrelsome  turned  then  to  meet  him,  and  thrust 
at  him  thrice  so  hard  that  Brodir  fell  before  him  at  each 
thrust,  and  was  well-nigh  not  getting  on  his  feet  again ;  but 
as  soon  as  ever  he  found  his  feet,  he  fled  away  into  the  wood 
at  once. 

Earl  Sigurd  had  a  hard  battle  against  Kerthialfad,  and 
Kerthialfad  came  on  so  fast  that  he  laid  low  all  who  were  in 
the  front  rank,  and  he  broke  the  array  of  Earl  Sigurd  right  up 
to  his  banner,  and  slew  the  banner-bearer. 

Then  he  got  another  man  to  bear  the  banner,  and  there 
was  again  a  hard  fight. 

1 "  Shieldburg,"  that  is,  a  ring  of  men  holding  their  shields  locked 
together. 


326    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


Kerthialfad  smote  this  man  too  his  death  blow  at  once,  and 
so  on  one  after  the  other  all  who  stood  near  him. 

Then  Earl  Sigurd  called  on  Thorstein  the  son  of  Hall  of 
the  Side,  to  bear  the  banner,  and  Thorstein  was  just  about  to 
lift  the  banner,  but  then  Asmund  the  white  said — 

u  Don't  bear  the  banner !  for  all  they  who  bear  it  get  their 
death/ ' 

"  Hrafn  the  red  ! "  called  out  Earl  Sigurd,  "  bear  thou  the 
banner." 

"  Bear  thine  own  devil  thyself,"  answered  Hrafn. 
Then  the  Earl  said — 

"  'Tis  fittest  that  the  beggar  should  bear  the  bag ; "  and 
with  that  he  took  the  banner  from  the  staff  and  put  it  under 
his  cloak. 

A  little  after  Asmund  the  white  was  slain,  and  then  the 
Earl  was  pierced  through  with  a  spear. 

Ospak  had  gone  through  all  the  battle  on  his  wing,  he  had 
been  sore  wounded,  and  lost  both  his  sons  ere  King  Sigtry gg 
fled  before  him. 

Then  flight  broke  out  throughout  all  the  host. 

Thorstein  Hall  of  the  Side's  son  stood  still  while  all  the 
others  fled,  and  tied  his  shoe-string.  Then  Kerthialfad  asked 
why  he  ran  not  as  the  others. 

"  Because/'  said  Thorstein,  "  I  can't  get  home  to-night, 
since  I  am  at  home  out  in  Iceland." 

Kerthialfad  gave  him  peace. 

Hrafn  the  red  was  chased  out  into  a  certain  river ;  he 
thought  he  saw  there  the  pains  of  hell  down  below  him,  and 
he  thought  the  devils  wanted  to  drag  him  to  them. 

Then  Hrafn  said — 

"  Thy  dog,1  Apostle  Peter !  hath  run  twice  to  Rome,  and 
he  would  run  the  third  time  if  thou  gavest  him  leave." 

Then  the  devils  let  him  loose,  and  Hrafn  got  across  the 
river. 

Now  Brodir  saw  that  King  Brian's  men  were  chasing  the 
fleers,  and  that  there  were  few  men  by  the  shieldburg. 

Then  he  rushed  out  of  the  wood,  and  broke  through  the 
shieldburg,  and  hewed  at  the  king. 

The  lad  Takt  threw  his  arm  in  the  way,  and  the  stroke 
took  it  off  and  the  king's  head  too,  but  the  king's  blood 

1  "Thy  dog,"  etc.  Meaning  that  he  would  go  a  third  time  on  a  pilgrimage 
to  Rome  if  St,  Peter  helped  him  out  of  this  strait. 


BRIAN'S  BATTLE. 


327 


came  on  the  lad's  stump,  and  the  stump  was  healed  by  it  on 
the  spot. 

Then  Brodir  called  out  with  a  loud  voice — 
"Now  let  man  tell  man  that  Brodir  felled  Brian." 
Then  men  ran  after  those  who  were  chasing  the  fleers,  and 
they  were  told  that  King  Brian  had  fallen,  and  then  they 
turned  back  straightway,  both  Wolf  the  quarrelsome  and 
Kerthialfad. 

Then  they  threw  a  ring  round  Brodir  and  his  men,  and 
threw  branches  of  trees  upon  them,  and  so  Brodir  was  taken 
alive. 

Wolf  the  quarrelsome  cut  open  his  belly,  and  led  him  round 
and  round  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  so  wound  all  his  entrails 
out  of  him,  and  he  did  not  die  before  they  were  all  drawn  out 
of  him. 

Brodir' s  men  were  slain  to  a  man. 

After  that  they  took  King  Brian's  body  and  laid  it  out. 
The  king's  head  had  grown  fast  to  the  trunk. 

Fifteen  men  of  the  Burners  fell  in  Brian's  battle,  and  there, 
too,  fell  Halldor  the  son  of  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and  Erling 
of  Straumey. 

On  Good  Friday  that  event  happened  in  Caithness  that  a 
man  whose  name  was  Daurrud  went  out.  He  saw  folk  riding 
twelve  together  to  a  bower,  and  there  they  were  all  lost  to  his 
sight.  He  went  to  that  bower  and  looked  in  through  a  window 
slit  that  was  in  it,  and  saw  that  there  were  women  inside,  and 
they  had  set  up  a  loom.  Men's  heads  were  the  weights,  but 
men's  entrails  were  the  warp  and  weft,  a  sword  was  the  shuttle, 
and  the  reels  were  arrows. 

They  sang  these  songs,  and  he  learnt  them  by  heart — 

THE  WOOF  OF  WAR. 

See  !  warp  is  stretched 
For  warriors'  fall, 
Lo  !  weft  in  loom 
'Tis  wet  with  blood  ; 
Now  fight  foreboding, 
'Neath  friends'  swift  fingers, 
Our  gray  woof  waxeth 
With  war's  alarms, 
Our  warp  bloodred, 
Our  weft  corseblue. 

This  woof  is  y- woven 
With  entrails  of  men, 
This  warp  is  hardweighted 


328 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


With  heads  of  the  slain, 
Spears  blood-besprinkled 
For  spindles  we  use, 
Our  loom  ironbound, 
And  arrows  our  reels  ; 
With  swords  for  our  shuttles 
This  war-woof  we  work  ; 
So  weave  we,  weird  sisters, 
Our  warwinning  woof. 

Now  War-winner  walketh 
To  weave  in  her  turn, 
Now  Swordswinger  steppeth, 
Now  Swiftstroke,  now  Storm  ; 
When  they  speed  the  shuttle 
How  spear-heads  shall  flash  ! 
Shields  crash,  and  helmgnawer  * 
On  harness  bite  hard  ! 

Wind  we,  wind  swiftly 
Our  warwinning  woof, 
Woof  erst  for  king  youthful 
Foredoomed  as  his  own, 
Forth  now  we  will  ride, 
Then  through  the  ranks  rushing 
Be  busy  where  friends 
Blows  blithe  give  and  take. 

Wind  we,  wind  swiftly 
Our  warwinning  woof, 
After  that  let  us  steadfastly 
Stand  by  the  brave  king  ; 
Then  men  shall  mark  mournful 
Their  shields  red  with  gore, 
How  Swordstroke  and  Spearthrust 
Stood  stout  by  the  prince. 

Wind  we,  wind  swiftly 
Our  warwinning  woof ; 
When  sword-bearing  rovers 
To  banners  rush  on, 
Mind,  maidens,  we  spare  not 
One  life  in  the  fray  ! 
We  corse-choosing  sisters 
Have  charge  of  the  slain. 

Now  new-coming  nations 
That  island  shall  rule, 
Who  on  outlying  headlands 
Abode  ere  the  fight ; 
I  say  that  King  mighty 
To  death  now  is  done, 
Now  low  before  spearpoint 
That  Earl  bows  his  head. 


*  "  Helmgnawer,"  the  sword  that  bites  helmets. 


BRIAN'S  BATTLE. 


329 


Soon  over  all  Ersemen 
Sharp  sorrow  shall  fall, 
That  woe  to  those  warriors 
Shall  wane  nevermore  ; 
Our  woof  now  is  woven, 
Now  battle-field  waste, 
Oer  land  and  oer  water 
War  tidings  shall  leap. 

Now  surely  'tis  gruesome 
To  gaze  all  around, 
When  bloodred  through  heaven 
Drives  cloudrack  oer  head  ; 
Air  soon  shall  be  deep  hued 
With  dying  men's  blood 
When  this  our  spaedom 
Comes  speedy  to  pass. 

So  cheerily  chant  we 
Charms  for  the  young  king, 
Come  maidens  lift  loudly 
His  warwinning  lay  ; 
Let  him  who  now  listens 
Learn  well  with  his  ears, 
And  gladden  brave  swordsmen 
With  bursts  of  war's  song. 

Now  mount  we  our  horses, 
Now  bare  we  our  brands, 
Now  haste  we  hard,  maidens, 
Hence  far,  far  away. 

Then  they  plucked  down  the  woof  and  tore  it  asunder, 
and  each  kept  what  she  had  hold  of. 

Now  Daurrud  goes  away  from  the  slit,  and  home  ;  but 
they  got  on  their  steeds  and  rode  six  to  the  south,  and  the 
other  six  to  the  north. 

A  like  event  befell  Brand  Gneisti's  son  in  the  Faroe 
Isles. 

At  Swinefell,  in  Iceland,  blood  came  on  the  priest's  stole 
on  Good  Friday,  so  that  he  had  to  put  it  off. 

At  Thvattwater  the  priest  thought  he  saw  on  Good  Friday 
a  long  deep  of  the  sea  hard  by  the  altar,  and  there  he  saw 
many  awful  sights,  and  it  was  long  ere  he  could  sing  the 
prayers. 

This  event  happened  in  the  Orkneys,  that  Hareck  thought 
he  saw  Earl  Sigurd,  and  some  men  with  him.  Then  Hareck 
took  his  horse  and  rode  to  meet  the  Earl.  Men  saw  that  they 
met  and  rode  under  a  brae,  but  they  were  never  seen  again, 
and  not  a  scrap  was  ever  found  of  Hareck. 

Earl  Gilli  in  the  Southern  Isles  dreamed  that  a  man  came 


330    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


to  him  and  said  his  name  was  Hostfinn,  and  told  him  he  was 
come  from  Ireland. 

The  Earl  thought  he  asked  him  for  tidings  thence,  and 
then  he  sang  this  song — 

I  have  been  where  warriors  wrestled, 
High  in  Erin  sang  the  sword, 
Boss  to  boss  met  many  bucklers, 
Steel  rung  sharp  on  rattling  helm  ; 
I  can  tell  of  all  their  struggle  ; 
Sigurd  fell  in  flight  of  spears  ; 
Brian  fell,  but  kept  his  kingdom 
Ere  he  lost  one  drop  of  blood. 

Those  two,  Flosi  and  the  Earl,  talked  much  of  this  dream. 
A  week  after,  Hrafn  the  red  came  thither,  and  told  them  all 
the  tidings  of  Brian's  battle,  the  fall  of  the  king,  and  of  Earl 
Sigurd,  and  Brodir,  and  all  the  Vikings. 

"  What,"  said  Flosi,  "hast  thou  to  tell  me  of  my  men  ?  " 

"They  all  fell  there,"  says  Hrafn,  "but  thy  brother-in-law 
Thorstein  took  peace  from  Kerthialfad,  and  is  now  with  him." 

Flosi  told  the  Earl  that  he  would  now  go  away,  "  for  we 
have  our  pilgrimage  south  to  fulfil ". 

The  Earl  bade  him  go  as  he  wished,  and  gave  him  a  ship 
and  all  e"lse  that  he  needed,  and  much  silver. 

Then  they  sailed  to  Wales,  and  stayed  there  a  while. 


CHAPTER  CLVII. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  KOL  THORSTEIN  S  SON. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  told  master  Skeggi  that  he  wished  he 
would  get  him  a  ship.  So  master  Skeggi  gave  Kari  a  long- 
ship,  fully  trimmed  and  manned,  and  on  board  it  went  Kari, 
and  David  the  white,  and  Kolbein  the  black. 

Now  Kari  and  his  fellows  sailed  south  through  Scotland's 
Firths,  and  there  they  found  men  from  the  Southern  Isles. 
They  told  Kari  the  tidings  from  Ireland,  and  also  that  Flosi 
was  gone  to  Wales,  and  his  men  with  him. 

But  when  Kari  heard  that,  he  told  his  messmates  that  he 
would  hold  on  south  to  Wales,  to  fall  in  with  Flosi  and  his 
band.    So  he  bade  them  then  to  part  from  his  company,  if 


SLAYING  OF  KOL  THORSTEIN'S  SON.  331 


they  liked  it  better,  and  said  that  he  would  not  wish  to  be- 
guile any  man  into  mischief,  because  he  thought  he  had  not 
yet  had  revenge  enough  on  Flosi  and  his  band. 

All  chose  to  go  with  him ;  and  then  he  sails  south  to 
Wales,  and  there  they  lay  in  hiding  in  a  creek  out  of  the 
way. 

That  morning  Kol  Thorstein's  son  went  into  the  town  to 
buy  silver.  He  of  all  the  Burners  had  used  the  bitterest 
words.  Kol  had  talked  much  with  a  mighty  dame,  and  he 
had  so  knockexLthe  nail  on  thejieajL  that  it  was  all  but  fixed 
that  he  was  to  have  her,  and  seille^jdojiv^i^there. 

That  same  morning  Kari  went  also  into  the  town.  He 
came  where  Kol  was  telling  the  silver. 

Kari  knew  him  at  once,  and  ran  at  him  with  his  drawn 
sword  and  smote  him  on  the  neck  ;  but  he  still  went  on  telling 
the  silver,  and  his  head  counted  "ten"  just  as  it  spun  off  the 
body. 

Then  Kari  said — 

"Go  and  tell  this  to  Flosi,  that  Kari  Solmund's  son  hath 
slain  Kol  Thorstein's  son.  I  give  notice  of  this  slaying  as 
done  by  my  hand." 

Then  Kari  went  to  his  ship,  and  told  his  shipmates  of  the 
manslaughter. 

Then  they  sailed  north  to  Beruwick,  and  laid  up  their  ship, 
and  fared  up  into  Whitherne  in  Scotland,  and  were  with  Earl 
Malcolm  that  year. 

But  when  Flosi  heard  of  Kol's  slaying,  he  laid  out  his  body, 
and  bestowed  much  money  on  his  burial. 

Flosi  never  uttered  any  wrathful  words  against  Kari. 

Thence  Flosi  fared  south  across  the  sea  and  began  his 
pilgrimage,  and  went  on  south,  and  did  not  stop  till  he  came  to 
Rome.  There  he  got  so  great  honour  that  he  took  absolution 
from  the  Pope  himself,  and  for  that  he  gave  a  great  sum  of 
money. 

Then  he  fared  back  again  by  the  east  road,  and  stayed  long 
in  towns,  and  went  in  before  mighty  men,  and  had  from  them 
great  honour. 

He  was  in  Norway  the  winter  after,  and  was  with  Earl 
Eric  till  he  was  ready  to  sail,  and  the  Earl  gave  him  much 
meal,  and  many  other  men  behaved  handsomely  to  him. 

Now  he  sailed  out  to  Iceland,  and  ran  into  Hornfirth,  and 
thence  fared  home  to  Swinefell.  He  had  then  fulfilled  all  the 
terms  of  his  atonement,  both  in  fines  and  foreign  travel. 


332    THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL. 


CHAPTER  CLVIII. 

OF  FLOSI  AND  KARL 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Kari  that  the  summer  after  he  went 
down  to  his  ship  and  sailed  south  across  the  sea,  and  began 
his  pilgrimage  in  Normandy,  and  so  went  south  and  got 
absolution  and  fared  back  by  the  western  way,  and  took  his 
ship  again  in  Normandy,  and  sailed  in  her  north  across  the 
sea  to  Dover  in  England. 

Thence  he  sailed  west,  round  Wales,  and  so  north,  through 
Scotland's  Firths,  and  did  not  stay  his  course  till  he  came  to 
Thraswick  in  Caithness,  to  master  Skeggi's  house. 

There  he  gave  over  the  ship  of  burden  to  Kolbein  and 
David,  and  Kolbein  sailed  in  that  ship  to  Norway,  but  David 
stayed  behind  in  the  Fair  Isle. 

Kari  was  that  winter  in  Caithness.  In  this  winter  his 
housewife  died  out  in  Iceland. 

The  next  summer  Kari  busked  him  for  Iceland.  Skeggi 
gave  him  a  ship  of  burden,  and  there  were  eighteen  of  them 
on  board  her. 

They  were  rather  late  "boun,"  but  still  they  put  to  sea, 
and  had  a  long  passage,  but  at  last  they  made  Ingolf  s  Head. 
There  their  ship  was  dashed  all  to  pieces,  but  the  men's  lives 
were  saved.    Then,  too,  a  gale  of  wind  came  on  them. 

Now  they  ask  Kari  what  counsel  was  to  be  taken  ;  but  he 
said  their  best  plan  was  to  go  to  Swinefell  and  put  Flosi's 
manhood  to  the  proof. 

So  they  went  right  up  to  Swinefell  in  the  storm.  Flosi 
was  in  the  hall.  He  knew  Kari  as  soon  as  ever  he  came  into 
the  hall,  and  sprang  up  to  meet  him,  and  kissed  him,  and  sate 
him  down  in  the  high-seat  by  his  side. 

Flosi  asked  Kari  to  be  there  that  winter,  and  Kari  took 
his  offer.    Then  they  were  atoned  with  a  full  atonement. 

Then  Flosi  gave  away  his  brother's  daughter  Hildigunna, 
whom  Hauskuld  the  priest  of  Whiteness  had  had  to  wife,  to 
Kari,  and  they  dwelt  first  of  all  at  Broadwater. 

Men  say  that  the  end  of  Flosi's  life  was,  that  he  fared 
abroad,  when  he  had  grown  old,  to  seek  for  timber  to  build 
him  a  hall  ;  and  he  was  in  Norway  that  winter,  but  the  next 
summer  he  was  late  "  boun"  ;  and  men  told  him  that  his  ship 
was  not  seaworthy. 


OF  FLOSI  AND  KARL  333 


Flosi  said  she  was  quite  good  enough  for  an  old  and  death  - 
doomed  man,  and  bore  his  goods  on  shipboard  and  put  out  to 
sea.    But  of  that  ship  no  tidings  were  ever  heard. 

These  were  the  children  of  Kari  Solmund's  son  and  Helga 
Njal's  daughter — Thorgerda  and  Ragneida,  Valgerda,  and  Thord 
who  was  burnt  in  Njal's  house.  But  the  children  of  Hildigunna 
and  Kari  were  these,  Starkad,  and  Thord,  and  Flosi. 

The  son  of  Burning- Flosi  was  Kolbein,  who  has  been  the 
most  famous  man  of  any  of  that  stock. 

And  here  we  end  the  STORY  of  BURNT  NJAL. 


ABERDEEN  UNIVERSITY  PRESS.